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BOSTON UNIVERSITY

UNIV^

College of

Liberal Arts

Library

fbcnt^ an& Ubompson Journals*

VOLUME I.

Edition Limited to Eleven Hundred Copies.

Nos. 1 to loo on Handmade Paper.
Nos. loi to iioo on Fine Book Paper.

No.

^%%

NE[V LIGHT ON THE EARLY HISTORY OF
THE GREATER NORTHWEST

THE MANUSCRIPT JOURNALS OF

ALEXANDER HENRY

Fur Trader of the Northwest Company
AND OF

DAVID THOMPSON

Official Geographer and Explorer of the same Company

\799-\Sl4

Exploration and Adventure aunong the Indians on the Red^ Saskatchewan,
Missouri, and Columbia Rivers

EDITED WITH COPIOUS CRITICAL COMMENTARY BY

ELLIOTT COUES

Editor of " Lewis and Clark," of " Pike," etc., etc.

IN THREE VOLUMES

Vol. I
^be TReD IRiver of tbe mortb

NEW YORK

FRANCIS P. HARPER

1897

V''

FRANCIS P. HARPER.
All rights reserved.

10 60-7
E '57

Y-l

K^"s

CONTENTS OF VOLUME 1.

PAGE

Preface by the Editor, vii-xxviii

PART 1.

THE RED RIVER.

CHAPTER I.
My First Venture, 1799-1800, i-5

CHAPTER n.
The Red River Brigade of 1800, . . . . . . 6-77

CHAPTER HI.
The Park River Post, 1800-01, 78-184

CHAPTER IV.
The Pembina River Post, 1801-02 185-201

CHAPTER V.
The Pembina River Post, Continued : 1802-03, . . . 202-223

CHAPTER VI.
The Pembina River Post, Continued : 1803-04, . . . 224-246

CHAPTER VII.
The Pembina River Post, Continued : 1804-05, . . - 247-259

CHAPTER VIII.
The Pembina River Post, Continued : 1805-06, . . . 260-284

i^-7 7

VI CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHAPTER IX.
The Mandan Tour, 1806 285-366

CHAPTER X.
The Cheyenne Treaty, 1806, 367-3q7

CHAPTER XI.
From the Mandans to Pembina, 1806, . . , , . 398-423

CHAPTER XII.
The Pembina River Post, Concluded : 1807-08, . . . 424-446

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

ALEXANDER HENRY THE YOUNGER, whose
-^^ Journal of 1799-1814 forms the main body of the
present work, is a person of whom hardly anything has
been known hitherto, and one who therefore requires for-
mal introduction to the readers he may reasonably hope to
win on this, his first appearance in public, as an auto-
biographer.

The author of Henry's Journal must not be confounded
with that other Alexander Henry — the Elder, as the latter
may be called, now that there are two writers of the iden-
tical name — whose well-known Travels and Adventures in
Canada and the Indian Territories between the Years 1760
and 1776 was published at New York by I. Riley in 1809,
and who died at Montreal April 14th, 1824: see Canadian
Magazine and Literary Repository, Vol. II., Nos. 10 and
II, April and May, 1824, for biographical data. The two
men were related as nephew and uncle, and led similar lives
in like scenes under identical occupations ; but their
respective narrations have no connection with each other.
Like his elder relative, the younger Henry was a fur trader
among the American Indians ; and during the period over
which his Journal extends he was one of the famous
" Northmen," as they used to be called — that is, one of the
partners in the celebrated old Northwest Company of com-
mercial adventurers, whose restless activities and indomita-
ble energies covered a continent with the most formidable
rivals the Hudson Bay Company ever encountered. The
annals of American adventure may be searched in vain for
more picturesque pages than those inscribed with the daring

viii EDITORS PREFACE.

and thrilling exploitations of these pioneers in penetrating
and occupying the vast region which may be styled the
" Greater Northwest."

The most commanding figure among the Northmen is
Sir Alexander McKenzie, whose double laurels are those of
first reaching the Arctic ocean by way of the great river
which still bears his name, and of first reaching the Pacific
ocean overland through British America ; and whose work,
originally published in 1801, has become classic. In that
year our untitled Alexander Henry was established as a
winterer or hivernant in a post he had built on the Red
River of the North, and engaged in the humble routine of
traffic with the Indians, whom he cheated and debauched
as a matter of course, with assiduity and success, upon
strict business principles and after the most approved
methods. Meanwhile, however, he fell into another habit,
of which the Northmen were seldom guilty ; for he took to
the pen, and at his leisure — that is, when he was not serv-
ing his coppery customers with diluted alcohol or other
articles they desired to secure at fabulous prices — he kept
a journal. In this literary habit he persevered until the
very day before his death ; and this veracious chronicle, in
which nothing whatever is extenuated, for aught there be
set down in malice, is now before us. It may not be of the
heroic order ; but it mirrors life in a way Mr. Samuel Pepys
might envy, could he compare his inimitable Diary with
this curious companion-piece of causerie, and perceive that
he who goes over the sea may change his sky, but not his
mind. There is said to be a great deal of human nature in
mankind ; certainly our author had his share of it, and so
had all the people in his book, to judge from the way that
English, Scotch, French, American, and Indian characters
are shown up under his unterrified hand.

In the course of the fifteen years during which Henry's
journalistic devotion is witnessed in these pages he trav-
eled from Lake Superior to the Pacific, with protracted
intervals of residence at various points in his long voy-

EDITOR S PREFACE. IX

aging. His commercial ventures caused adventures through
the Provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, Assiniboia, Keewatin,
Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia, in the pres-
ent Dominion of Canada ; and, in the United States, through
Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Idaho, Oregon, and
Washington. In the region of the Red river his dealings
were with Ojibways and other Indians of Algonquian lineage,
whilst his warrings were with Sioux ; along the Saskatch-
ewan he trafficked with Crees, with Assiniboines, with
Blackfeet, Bloods, Piegans, Atsinas, and some of the Atha-
pascan tribes, especially Sarcees ; on Columbian waters his
commerce was with Chinooks, Clatsops, and many other
aborigines of the Pacific slope. He was once on terms
with the Mandans and their associates of the Missouri, and
visited the Cheyennes in their company. So far from being
peculiar to Henry's case was such an extensive acquaint-
ance with Indians, this was the common fortune of the
Northmen ; but few of them have recorded their expe-
riences, for the gun was oftener than the pen in the hands
of even those whose souls soared above a beaver-skin. An
always sordid and not seldom nefarious environment, during
dreary months of isolation and desolation, alternating with
periodical peregrinations of immense extent and arduous-
ness — conditions of extreme personal peril from hunger,
cold, and savagery — experiences whose deadening monot-
ony was modified mainly by deadlier danger — such are not
circumstances conducive to literary accomplishment. An
Irving's easy-chair is an easier way of wooing the muse
to exploit the romance of Northman or Southman, and
the world applauds an Astoria. But what of the actors
themselves in such stern realities, whose glamourless lives,
as a rule, survived illusions only to find oblivion their final-
ity? When one of these speaks for himself, we can but
listen to his words ; the world is never too busy to hear a
genuine adventurer's own story of his adventures. So it
happens that — to mention a few of those whose works in
this special field of fur-trade literature do follow and live

X EDITOR S PREFACE.

after them — McKenzie is perennial ; so are Samuel Hearne,
Edouard Umfreville, Arthur Dobbs, Alexander Henry the
Elder, Daniel Williams Harmon, Gabriel Franchere, Ross
Cox, Alexander Ross, John Tanner. Among these wor-
thies, and with others who could be named, all of them
closely connected with our author, some of them his per-
sonal associates, Alexander Henry the Younger has hith-
erto failed to stand, not because he was no author, but
simply because his work was born out of time and long
seemed to have perished with him.

Henry's Journal has slept for nearly a century, during
which his memory has been almost effaced. But I think it
will now take its rightful place among the most important
contributions ever made to the inside history of the fur
trade in British America in general, and of the Northwest
Company in particular — even McKenzie's hitherto unri-
valed work may need to look to its laurels. Henry the
Elder having been one of the first whites who penetrated
to the plains of the Saskatchewan, after the French regime
and before there was any Northwest Company, it is fitting
that another of the same name, Alexander Henry the
Younger, should take up the theme, and bring the same
subject down nearly to the close of the Northmen's organ-
ized existence. The thread of his narration would doubt-
less have been spun to the end of that organization, had it
not fallen short through the shears of inflexible Atropos.

The fact that, as already intimated, Henry's invaluable
Journal has never before seen the light, would surprise no
judge of literary material who should inspect the manu-
script which has served as the basis of the present work.
No printer could handle the copy as it stands ; no pub-
lisher would be justified in undertaking to bring it out ;
and the task of redaction was clearly one which called for
a combination of hardihood and hard work from which any
editor might well shrink, hopeless of successful accomplish-
ment. Piqued, perhaps, by the latent possibilities of this
case, stimulated to the endeavor by a very genuine interest

editor's preface. xi

in all that relates to the history of American pioneering,
and observing that the Henry period was precisely the one
with which I had become most familiar in consequence of
similar work done in other connections, I undertook to
shape Henry's Journal for presentation to the public. It
is not for me to say anything of the merit or demerit of
my own performance ; but the manuscripts upon which
I worked are so nearly unknown that an account of them
becomes a bibliographical necessity.

Of Henry's original notebooks or diaries, penned manu
sua, I know nothing — not even whether or no they be still
extant ; I have never seen his handwriting, even to the
extent of his signature. Henry's Journal, as we have it,
is what is known as " the Coventry copy," mafiu aliena,
penned by George Coventry, about the year 1824; for the
date " Montreaf, February 20th, 1824," is set as a sort of
colophon at the end. This writing is furnished with a
formal title-page, worded " Journal of Alexander Henry,
Esq.," and so forth, and signed " George Coventry." A
page of " Preliminary Remarks " speaks of Mr. Henry in
the third person, and notes his decease. The whole copy
makes ostensibly 1,642 pages, as per pagination of the
folios; the paper is of legal cap size, rather larger than
is now usual, written for the most part on both sides of
the sheets, and bound in two thick volumes now pre-
served in the Library of Parliament at Ottawa. By the
ofificial permission of the authorities, courteously granted
at my request, and by business arrangements made by my
publisher with Mr. L. P. Sylvain, the assistant librarian, I
obtained a clerical copy of the whole of this manuscript,
folio for folio, with the exception of certain insignificant
portions, notably meteorological tables, which I did not
care to use. The manuscript which I received is duly
certified by Mr. Sylvain to be literally true to copy; and
great care was taken to produce a faithful transcript.

The identification and authenticity of the Coventry copy
are established beyond peradventure of a doubt. We can

xii editor's preface.

also settle the question which may arise in some minds
whether these manuscripts represent exactly what Henry
himself wrote, or are what Mr. Coventry wrote out for
him, from original memoranda. The Coventry documents
attest their own genuineness by internal evidence which
enables us to form a safe and sure conclusion. Thus, for
instance : as explained in a note on my printed p. 747,
certain folios of the manuscript retraverse identical dates,
with duplication in substance of what is said, but in an
entirely different style of composition. One of these
duplicates agrees in every peculiarity of locution with
the main body of the writing, and is thus presumptively
Henry's own. The replica, which is obviously not Henry's,
but Coventry's own, is of the nature of editorial rewriting,
and agrees exactly with certain other writings known to be
Coventry's, who must have been intending, when he penned
these passages, to edit his Henry materials for publication
— as the replica is fitted with chapter heads, furnished with
something in the nature of a preface, and adorned with
religious reflections on the goodness of God in drowning so
estimable a man as Mr. Henry — in fine, it is editorially
dressed for the press. None of this matter has proven
available for my own purposes, and none of it has been
used ; but its existence is a boon, as it enables us to decide
that the main body of this writing is a faithful and well-
intended transcript of Henry's own Journal, made by one so
profoundly ignorant of the whole subject of which it treats
that he could hardly do anything else than copy what he
found, in the most servile and wooden-headed manner
imaginable; in other words, he did not know enough of
what he was about to make other than clerical errors,
and therefore could have manufactured nothing.

But the comforting assurance I felt, in handling these
documents, that I had to do with genuine as well as
authentic materials, in substance and practically in form
Henry's own, did not resolve my fears regarding the out-
come of my editorial enterprise. To begin with, there was

editor's preface. Xlli

too much copy for a book of reasonable dimensions ; it
needed to be " boiled down " by at least one-third. In the
second place, Henry in his writing used language such as
no fur trader ever spoke — nor anyone else, unless English
be indeed a grammarless tongue ; for solecism seldom
failed to supersede syntax in his maze of verbiage, and
sense was always liable to be lost in a wilderness of words.
The composition seemed to me to be that of a man who
knew what he wanted to say, and could talk to the point
about it, but always wrote round about it, as if he had
a notion that writing was something different from speak-
ing, needing bigger words and more of them. Thus, our
author went all over the country, but always " proceeded " in
his Journal. He saw a great deal, in fact, but never failed
to " perceive " or " observe " it when he wrote about it ; and
whenever he had to get ready to go somewhere, he was
likely to write : " I now once more found myself again under
the necessity of being obliged to commence preparing for
my intended departure immediately." Imagining that few
readers would have the patience to follow him to the end
of journeys begun in that fashion, I concluded to take what
grammatical liberties with the manuscript I saw fit. Dele-
tion of simply superfluous words, and of sheerly tauto-
logical phrases, made it shrink about one-fourth, with
corresponding increase in tensile strength of fiber. An-
other revision, in the course of which almost every sentence
was recast in favor of such grammatical propriety as could
be impressed upon the composition without entirely rewrit-
ing it, reduced the copy to about two-thirds of its original
dimension ; and the upshot of all this " blue penciling "
was a textual compromise between what I had found
written and what I might have preferred to write, had the
composition been my own. Literary elegance being clearly
out of the question, however cunningly I might put in any
little dabs and touches, I was perforce satisfied to make
my author say what he meant to say in plain English,
letting him go on with equal pace to the massacre of his

xiv EDITORS PREFACE.

mother-in-law or the setting of his yellow hen on thirteen
eggs. Closely as the composition may resemble a school-
boy's, the literalism is that of a mature mind. Henry took
himself very seriously indeed, and we must take him at
the foot of the letter.

The foregoing explanation, in the nature of semi-apology
for the liberty I have taken with historical documents, will
not be deemed superfluous if it serves to satisfy the mind of
any would-be critic who, on comparing my printed pages
with the manuscript in the Library of Parliament, observes
with surprise or regret their wide discrepancy in language.
I do not pretend to have printed that manuscript. On the
contrary, I have used it as material to be worked up ; and
I have yet to state what further compression of the bulk of
the original was required, and has been effected, to bring
the whole within a desired compass. For I have condensed
to the utmost some parts of the Journal, and even have
canceled certain entries of little or no present significance.
Such extremely condensed or omitted passages relate chiefly
to trivial incidents of trade so much alike that one samples
the whole, and incessant repetition would be tiresome ; to
details of game killed for the support of the posts; and to
weather-reports. Even the most modern meteorological
tables interest few persons, and I suppose none now care
much about the weather as it was a hundred years ago.
Yet I have set myself bounds against transgressing upon my
author in this particular, for everything about the weather
that seemed to bear upon the thread of his narrative, as
affecting his movements, as influencing the fauna or flora,
as touching acceleration or retardation of- the seasons, has
been piously preserved. Despite the very great reduction
and other modification to which the manuscript has neces-
sarily been subjected in passing through my hands, I do
not think that I have omitted or obscured a single matter
of fact of the slightest significance, or subordinated the
author's individuality to my own. I have simply caused
him to tell his own story as plainly as he evidently wished

editor's preface. XV

to tell it, and supposed that he was telling it ; and no doubt
the resulting picture is all the clearer for the polishing, I
can vouch for its inviolate fidelity to fact throughout. The
trader and traveler can be followed with perfect confidence
across the continent. There is not, to my knowledge, a
single statement in the book that can be seriously questioned
on the score of veracity. Devoid as he was of certain ac-
complishments desirable in one who aspires to authorship,
and writing as he did for no eye but his own, Henry cer-
tainly produced a remarkable work, of solid and permanent
value. It is one which should have appeared long ago, and
taken its rightful place in contemporaneous literature.

Thus far in explanation of my connection with this work
I have appeared simply as my author's literary censor —
mainly in mere matters of grammar, but also with some
further privileges of the blue pencil. But more agreeable
and significant functions than those of the schoolmaster
abroad attach to my editorial work in the present instance ;
and how I have tried to do my whole duty as a critic and
commentator remains to be said.

Intending to interpret Henry to a generation remote
from his own, and remembering the measure of success
attained in the similar cases of Lewis and Clark, and of
Pike, respectively — for these American explorers were
Henry's contemporaries, who cultivated in the United
States a field of adventure which may be compared with
that occupied by Henry in the British possessions — I under-
took to put upon Henry's Journal an extensive critical com-
mentary, from the standpoint of our present knowledge.
This seemed even more desirable in the present case than
in those of the American explorers just named, inasmuch as
he was unknown, they were famous ; inasmuch as his work
had never appeared, while theirs had already passed through
many editiohs ; and I should therefore be plowing virgin
ground instead of formerly cultivated soil that had long lain
fallow. Satisfactory equipment for this undertaking could
only be acquired by going over the whole field historically.

XVI EDITOR S PREFACE.

At the conclusion of protracted and diligent study I found
myself in the possession of some 4,500 memorandum cards,
alphabetically arranged by subjects, and collectively con-
stituting a sort of private cyclopedia of information
concerning the Northvi^est Company, the X. Y. Com-
pany, the fur trade of those days, the bourgeois, their
voyageurs and other engages, their Indian customers, their
trading-posts, their canoe-routes — and what not in the w^ay
of biography, geography, ethnography, and natural history.
Most of this material was found to fit in with Henry's nar-
rative to a nicety ; and even the residuum, touching points
which Henry did not happen to bring up, was available for
incorporation alphabetically in the Index to the work.
Most of my information was drawn afresh from its original
sources; but I also utilized the labors of modern historical
authorities, such as Masson and Tasse, each of whom has
recently given us an invaluable work upon subjects germane
to our present enterprise. It is not probable that the name
of any person, either of the Northwest or of the X. Y. Com-
pany, which appears in either of these authors, has escaped
me, and it is certain that many more than have ever
appeared in print before are given in the present work ; so
that the result, in this one biographical particular, represents
a closer approach to a complete gazetteer of the personnel
of the two companies, from the humblest of their engages to
the most redoubtable leaders of those great enterprises, than
has hitherto been given to the public. The difficulty of
identifying personal names in these old records is well
known to be very great, for various reasons ; most of those
concerned in these affairs were obscure individuals, whose
memory is now but a name, oftentimes so unsettled in
orthography that a dream of the shadow of smoke were
scarcely more elusive ; and in the records which reach us,
furthermore, it is often only a surname that appears, though
it may have been, and usually was, borne by several differ-
ent persons. I have taken the utmost pains in this particu-
lar ; but I am sure that in my notes, as well as in Henry's

EDITORS PREFACE. XVli

text, different individuals are sometimes confounded under
the same name, and again, that the same person figures in
some cases as two or more, under various versions of his
proper name, to say nothing of nicknames or aHases. Yet
I suspect that the alphabetical list of personal names which
appear in my Index is at once the most extensive and the
least faulty that has ever been published — though far from
completion or perfection it certainly is.

To turn from biographical to geographical considerations,
I may next allude to the great care I have exercised in
identifying the localities named in Henry's travel or resi-
dence, and in giving the modern equivalents of the mostly
obsolete nomenclature he uses. His list of place-names is
remarkably interesting, the designations then in vogue being
dominated by the influence of the earlier French regime,
which continues to be felt to the present day, though of
course less markedly than it was in his time. No Fort des
Prairies now exists by such name, but the thing still flour-
ishes in the shape of the H. B^ Company's store at Edmon-
ton, and the very gradual process of supplanting the old
French terminology will probably never be quite completed.
Geographical synonymy is a subject which for many years
has occupied my attention ; it is a field more fruitful of his-
torical data than most persons would suppose, and one
which has never been thoroughly worked out for any con-
siderable area of Western or Northwestern America. The
trouble seems to be that the best geographers have seldom
been historians, while historians so good that they would
blush to be caught afoul of a date wrong by a day are often
found miles out of the way in the location of their events.
Henry was no geographer, in a technical sense, and not
much of an explorer, even ; he never traveled for health or
pleasure, but always on business, and made no actual dis-
coveries. Yet he was a great traveler, who covered an im-
mense area both by land and water, with a good eye for
topography en route; he was also well able to say where he
went and how he got there. Consequently, I have found

xvill EDITORS PREFACE.

little difficulty in trailing him through all the intricacies of
his canoe-routes — that wonderful system of waterways, the
like of which may be looked for rather in 'the myth of the
Daedalian labyrinth than in the geography of any country
but that which he traversed — over the limitless prairie of a
Dakota, even into the treacherous sphagnum of a muskeg.
Henry is not quite so easy to trail as Lewis and Clark are,
but he is easier by far to follow than Pike, for example ;
and any knack of going by " sign " I may have acquired by
former experiences has stood me in good stead in the pres-
ent case. Henry's routes may be recovered with almost
absolute precision, and he made few camps in all his journey-
ings that I cannot now set with hardly any probable error.
Few men who have ever put pen to ethnographical paper
have had more extensive, varied, and intimate personal ac-
quaintance than Henry acquired with Indians in the course
of his long experiences as a trader among many different
tribes of distinct linguistic stocks, from the Algonquians
and Siouansof his earlier experiences, through others of the
Saskatchewan and Missouri, to the many different Pacific
families he finally met. Intimately connected with his cus-
tomers as he was, thoroughly versed in their characters, hab-
its, and manners as he became, he had no sympathy with
them whatever. They were simply the necessary nuisances
of his business, against whom his antipathies were continu-
ally excited and not seldom betrayed in his narrative. He
detested an Indian as much as he despised a Franco-Cana-
dian voyageur, or hated a rival of the H. B. or X. Y. Com-
pany. How much of " sweetness and light " is likely to seep
and shine through the private pages of a man whose preju-
dices were invincible and sometimes violent, of one who was
quite out of touch with his own environment, the reader
may judge for himself ; as he may also observe how chary
and wary I have been, as a rule, in expressing any opinion
of the moral of a story which shows up the seamy side of
things so persistently and sometimes so obtrusively. That
is no metier of mine — who am I, that I should set up to

editor's preface. xix

keep my brother's conscience ? I have left the risque pas-
sages much as they stand in copy, only Bowdlerizing some
expressions that were doubtless current in the blunt speech
of the trading-post, but would hardly bear print now. The
book is not virginibus puerisque, and I suppose few such, if
any, will ever read it. Aside from any question of chaste
taste, which after all belongs in the background of histori-
cal relations Hke the present, and need agitate no one
unduly, I am persuaded that Henry's disillusionment, his
practical pessimism, his entire lack of imagination, and his
insistence upon bare fact through sheer infertility of inven-
tion, have conspired to a singularly veracious contribution
to ethnology in all that he has to say of his Indians. They
are the genuine aboriginal articles, not the mock heroes of
Leatherstocking romance. Henry's is an absolutely unvar-
nished tale, in which no question of a fig-leaf is raised, for
the reason that his Indians wear their breech-clouts or leave
them off according to their own convenience, without
regard to our own ideas of propriety. I could add nothing
to such a picture as this, and would not if I could ; should
anyone desire a revelation of almost inconceivable and
quite unspeakable nastiness, let him read, for example, the
transparent pages of Samuel Hearne, and see how com-
pletely they corroborate Henry, as far as the latter goes —
for he leaves unsaid much more than Hearne does ; but
with the impersonal and purely ethnic aspects of this case
I have dealt from the standpoint of to-day, in giving the
accepted classification and nomenclature of all the Indian
tribes and linguistic families of which our author treats.

Henry was familiar, of course, with all the animals whose
furs or pelts had any commercial value, or whose flesh was
staple of food ; but he was no naturalist, and there is little
natural history in his book, aside from his extremely inter-
esting accounts of the bufTalo and other large game. In
zoology and botany, therefore, there was little for me to do ;
but I have identified and supplied the technical names of
nearly all the animals and plants mentioned in his narrative.'

XX EDITORS PREFACE.

No account of my connection with this work would
approach desirable completeness did I not speak emphat-
ically of the use I have made for the present purpose of the
original manuscripts of DAVID THOMPSON, the celebrated
astronomer, geographer, explorer, and discoverer — in a word,
the scientist — first of the Hudson Bay Company, then, dur-
ing the whole period covered by Henry, of the Northwest
Company, and later still of the International Boundary
Commission which ran the line between the British posses-
sions and the United States. I have so effectually bound
up Thompson's life-work in the Greater Northwest with
that of Henry, that he becomes virtually co-author of the
present publication, upon the title-page of which his name
appears in simple justice to his share of the performance —
albeit the main text consists solely of Henry's Journal,
Thompson's contributions being, like my own, confined to
the foot-notes.

The original Thompson documents, in his own hand-
writing, are preserved intact in the archives of the Surveys
Branch of the Crown Lands Department of Ontario, at
Toronto, where I was courteously given free access to and
use of them, at different times in 1894 and 1895, by official
vote of the members of the Cabinet of the Ontario Legis-
lature. The whole span of these precious records is from
1784 to 1850, as represented by the extreme dates of the
successive entries in the series of about 40 volumes, mostly
of foolscap size, and for the most part averaging, perhaps,
100 pages to a volume ; besides which there are sundry
unbound pieces — I made a minute analysis of the whole, as
a bibliographer, but that need not now detain us. There is
also one very large map, manu sua, covering the region
from the Great Lakes to the Pacific. Some of the most
important volumes relate to Thompson's life after 181 2,
when he was engaged in highly responsible professional
duties upon the Boundary Survey just named ; but with
these we have no present concern. Thompson's intimate
connection with the scenes of Henry's Journal was in

EDITOR S PREFACE. XXI

earlier years, say 1789-1812, during which he antedated or
codated Henry on every one of the routes which the latter
ever pursued. The Henry and Thompson trails, so far as
the former's extend, are thus conterminous, and to some
extent coincident in dates. Finding frequent mention of
Thompson by Henry, I recognized the close relation
of much of the Thompson manuscript with the whole of
Henry's, and consequently made a careful study of the
former in connection with the latter. Thompson's records
from the winter of 1789-90, when he was at Cumberland
House on the Saskatchewan, to Aug. 12th, 18 12, when he
left Fort William on Lake Superior for Montreal, thus end-
ing forever his explorations in the Greater Northwest, are
voluminous and almost complete ; there is hardly a break
in the day-by-day entries for these 23 years, and even in
the few instances where the diary is interrupted for brief
periods, we know by other evidence pretty well where
Thompson was. I worked for several weeks at Toronto, in
1894 and 1895, studying these manuscripts and preparing
a minute digest of Thompson's Journals for the period said
— 1789-1812. The net result of this research, in so far as it
bears in any way upon Henry, will be found embodied in
my notes.

It has long been a matter of regret among those versed
in the history and geography of the Greater Northwest
that this luminous record of the life-work of so modest, so
meritorious an explorer as Thompson was — of so scientific
a surveyor and so great a discoverer — has never seen the
light, either under government patronage or by private
enterprise. I had serious thoughts at one time of under-
taking to edit Thompson, at least for the period down to
1812; and I reluctantly abandoned the idea only after
examination of the materials had satisfied me that I could
advise no publisher to bring out such a work, as it would
be expensive beyond any reasonable prospect of reimburse-
ment. The difficulty in the case is, that so much of the
manuscript consists of astronomical calculations, traverse-

xxii EDITOR S PREFACE.

tables, and other mathematical data, without which the
matter would cease to be Thompsonian, yet with which it
would be largely unreadable and quite unsalable. Even
the ostensibly narrative portions are notably barren of
incident beyond simple statements of arrivals, departures,
and the like ; consisting in the main of dated entries which
cover little else than figuring on the formal courses and
distances of the routes pursued, with an eye fixed on
geodesy and geography. It is true that Thompson was
a fur trader, and a partner of the Northwest Company,
actively engaged in those commercial ventures upon which
his livelihood depended in those days, exactly as Henry
was ; but, unlike the latter, he had no turn for trade, and
never minded the shop. Business was Henry's religion,
and science was Thompson's ; each worshiped his own
god and ciphered out his own salvation with equal method
and precision — the one figuring out pelf from pelt, the
other casting up accounts of geodetic points. The irony
of the event is the world's revenge on David Thompson ;
but the world can never be allowed to forget the discoverer
of the sources of the Columbia, the first white man who
ever voyaged on the upper reaches and main upper tribu-
taries of that mighty river, the pathfinder of more than
one way across the Continental Divide from Saskatchewan
and Athabascan to Columbian waters, the greatest geog-
rapher of his day in British America, and the maker of
what was then by far its greatest map — that " Map of the
North-West Territory of the Province of Canada. From
actual Survey during the Years 1792 to 1812," as the legend
goes. This map has never before, to my knowledge, been
published as a whole or in any part ; and I have therefore
the pleasure of calling attention to the fact that three sec-
tions of it, covering most of the immense territory over
which we now accompany Henry, have been traced in fac-
simile under my direction expressly for the present work,
and should be found in the cover-pocket of Vol. HI.,
together with a fourth sheet, which reproduces the original

EDITORS PREFACE. XXlll

legend of the whole. These several pieces are reduced to
about one-half the size of the original ; in one or two cases,
where the bold lettering of a name carried part of it beyond
the sections transcribed, it has been independently reduced
by the draughtsman ; Mr. Harper's copyright of this im-
print has been added to the legend ; otherwise the fac-
simile is perfect, for no marks appear upon these sheets
save those placed on the original map by Thompson's own
hand.

With the voluminous official archives above described
must not be confounded a small batch of Thompson's
papers recently offered for sale by private parties in
Toronto. This manuscript is authentic and genuine ; being
a summary autobiography which Thompson wrote very
late in life, perhaps about 1850, apparently in hopes of
being able to publish it. Thompson died Feb. i6th, 1857,
at the very advanced age of nearly 87 years, having been
born Apr. 30th, 1770. The handwriting shows painful
evidence of senility, and I should hesitate to trust to his
memory for dates and other details requiring precision of
statement. The article is extremely interesting, and would
prove very valuable should it be checked, as it easily might
be, by comparison with his original Journals. I under-
stand that this manuscript has passed into the excellent
hands of Mr. J. B. Tyrrell, of the Geological Survey of
Canada, well known for his own extensive and important
explorations in the Dominion. Mr. Tyrrell has already
given us A Brief Narrative of the Journeys of David Thomp-
son in North-western America, which was read before the
Canadian Institute Mar. 3d, 1888, and published in advance
of the Proceedings by permission of the Council, as an 8vo
pamphlet of pp. 28, Toronto, 1888. It is much to be hoped
that this writing may appear under Mr. Tyrrell's very com-
petent editorship.

To the statement made in opening this Preface, that
Alexander Henry the Younger is an unknown man, excep-

xxiv editor's preface.

tion may be taken to the extent of recognizing the fact that
extracts from certain early portions of the Coventry copy
of the Journal were read by Mr. C. N. Bell before the
Historical and Scientific Society of Manitoba, and published
as Transaction No. 31, 8vo, pp. 9, Winnipeg, 1888. Beyond
these extracts, relating to Henry's residence on the Red
river in and before 1801, I am not av^are that any portion
of his manuscript has ever appeared in print before the
present occasion. A copy of that part which relates to his
Mandan tour was for some time in the hands of Rev. E. D.
Neill of St. Paul, Minn., by whom it was made over to me
unconditionally, a short time before his death. This frag-
ment interested me so much that I immediately prepared it
for publication, and had actually handed it in to Mr. Harper,
when I was induced to undertake the whole work.

It will be to consult the convenience of most readers to
give here a concise account of the three parts into which
Henry's Journal is naturally divisible. Part I. is contermi-
nous with Vol. I. Parts H. and HI. together form Vol. II.
The Index alone makes Vol. HI.

Part I., which I have entitled " The Red River," runs
from 1799 to 1808. After an opening fragment, Henry is
found en route from Grand Portage, on Lake Superior, and
we follow him closely along Rainy river, through the Lake
of the Woods, down Winnipeg river, and through the lake
of that name, to the Red river, up which he proceeds to
the mouth of Park river, where he builds his trading-post
for the season of 1800-01. Next year he establishes the
Pembina post, which he occupies with various intermissions
till 1808. During this period he has charge of the North-
west Company^'s interests throughout the region now
included in Minnesota, Manitoba, and North Dakota; he
establishes various outposts, and travels about a great deal.
His doings are pictured to the life, with a realism that
rivals a Zola's, and much that he has to say of the Ojibways
and other Indians is of absorbing, even startling, interest.
During this period we accompany him on many journeys,

EDITOR S PREFACE. XXV

and see things as they were all over the country. The
most notable of these travels is the Mandan tour of 1806,
full of adventure, and full of curious information regarding
the sedentary tribes of the Missouri.

Part II., " The Saskatchewan," shows our hero — our com-
mercial traveler and mutual friend — in an entirely different
environment. Having been ordered to take charge of one
of the Forts des Prairies which were then operated on the
North Saskatchewan, he leaves Pembina and proceeds
through Lake Winnipeg to navigate the great waterway
which reaches thence to the Rocky mountains. This jour-
ney is described minutely and graphically, enabling us to
follow every stroke of the paddle, and inciting the editor to
an extensive commentary upon the histogeography of an
immense region. During 1808-11 Henry is in charge of
three different Saskatchewan posts — Fort Vermilion, Terre
Blanche, and the Rocky Mountain house; he makes long
overland journeys, including one with dog-sledges in the
depth of winter to the Continental Divide ; there is not a
single mile of the great river he does not navigate ; and he
lives in close relations with all the Indian tribes of Sas-
katchewan and Alberta, of whom he treats at great length
and in due form, apart from his personal narrative.

In all these wanderings which occupy Parts I. and II.
Henry is either shadowed or foreshadowed by the unique
figure of the ubiquitous David Thompson. I have taken
pains to collate my digests of Thompson's journals with
Henry's text, and nowhere else do the two records so amplify
and verify each other as throughout the upper Saskatche-
wan and Rocky Mountain region during the years 1808-11.
These were exactly the times of Thompson's most energetic
and furthest-reaching exploits. On the Atlantic side of
the mountains the two men were repeatedly together,
though they never seemed to fancy each other particularly ;
and on the Pacific side, the scene of travels and discoveries
on Thompson's part which Henry did not share, and con-
cerning which the least has been accurately known of all

xxvi editor's preface.

Thompson's movements and establishments, I have enjoyed
unequaled facilities for supplementing Henry's narrative
with an account of Thompson's operations in British
Columbia, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

Part III., "The Columbia," opens after a break of about
two years in the Henry manuscripts. Late in 1813, Henry
has made a trans-continental journey and appears at Astoria
— or Fort George, as it becomes shortly after his arrival.
His Journal of 1813-14, minutely and precisely kept up to
the day before his death by drowning in the mouth of the
Columbia, is particularly valuable as a historical document.
Most of his time was spent at his post, but he also made
extensive voyages on the Columbia and Willamette. At
this time Henry was personally associated with each one of
the three men who have been until now our chief authorities
upon the early history of Astoria and the affairs of the
Pacific Fur Company, with which he became thoroughly con-
versant. His work is so important a concordance that if
Franchere, Cox, and Ross be regarded as the three synoptical
writers of Astoria, then Henry furnishes the fourth gospel.
The extreme interest of this matter has induced me to go
into great detail in my notes, and I have reason to believe
that much new light has been thrown on Astorian history.
Had Irving commanded the resources which Henry places
at our disposal, his famous romance would have been no
less entertaining and might have become more historical.

The amount of information which Henry and Thompson
give us in these volumes, together with that which I have
contributed to their joint work, may be appreciated by
glancing through the Index, where the names of persons,
places, and other things mentioned in these writings
occupy more than one hundred double-column pages.

There only remains the pleasurable duty of making the
acknowledgments due to those who have in any way facil-
itated my researches or otherwise contributed to the gen-
eral result of these investigations. Authors whose published
writings have been consulted are in each instance duly cited

EDITOR S PREFACE. XXVli

in my notes ; they are very numerous, as I have availed
myself of practically the whole of the literature which bears
immediately upon the subject in hand. But I am more
particularly and personally indebted to many friends and
correspondents, both in Canada and in the United States,
who have shown me those ofificial favors without which it
would have been impossible to take up the work, or have
cheered and encouraged my labor with evidences of their
interest in its success. I have specially to thank Mr.
Charles C. James, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of
the Province of Ontario, for many friendly attentions ren-
dered, both in person and by correspondence, throughout
the progress of the work, in the course of which he favored
me repeatedly with valued suggestions and criticisms, and
was kind enough to supervise the transcription of the
Thompson map. Great courtesies were also shown me by
Mr. Archibald Blue, Director of the Bureau of Mines ; by
Mr. Aubrey White, Assistant Commissioner of Crown
Lands ; Mr. George B. Kirkpatrick, Director of Sur-
veys, Crown Lands Department, in whose ofifice the Thomp-
son MSS. are preserved ; and by the Members of the
Cabinet of the Legislature of Ontario, which voted to place
these records at my disposition, namely : Hon. Sir Oliver
Mowat, Premier and Attorney General (now Minister of
Justice for Canada); Hon. Arthur S. Hardy, Commis-
sioner of Crown Lands (now Premier of Ontario); Hon.
John Dryden, Minister of Agriculture; Hon. George W.
Ross, Minister of Education ; Hon. William Harty, Com-
missioner of Public Works ; Hon. Richard Harcourt, Pro-
vincial Treasurer; Hon. John M. Gibson, Provincial
Secretary (now Commissioner of Crown Lands) ; and Mr.
S. T. Bastedo, Private Secretary of the Premier. The trac-
ing of the Thompson map was carefully executed by Mr.
Charles J. Murphy of Unwin, Foster, Murphy, and Esten,
Draughtsmen, Toronto. The original MSS. of Gabriel
Franch^re were shown me by Mr. James Bain, Jr., of the
Public Library of Toronto.

xxviii editor's preface.

I have further to recognize with gratitude the courtesies
extended to me in person while I was in Ottawa, or subse-
quently by correspondence, by Dr. Alfred R. C. Selwyn,
Deputy Head and Director of the Geological Survey of
Canada ; by his successor in that important office, my
friend Dr. George M. Dawson ; by Professor John Macoun
and Mr. J. B. Tyrrell, both of the same Survey; by Mr.
Otto J. Klotz, of the International Boundary Commission,
Department of the Interior; by Mr. Douglas Brymner,
Canadian Archivist, and his assistant, the late Mr. Joseph
Marmette. Permission to copy the Henry MSS. was kindly
granted by the authorities of the Library of Parliament at
Ottawa, Mr. A. D. De Celles, General Librarian, and Mr.
Martin J. Grififin, Parliamentary Librarian ; and the tran-
script was made under the personal supervision of Mr.
Louis Philippe Sylvain, Assistant Librarian.

I am also under obligations in various ways to Mr. J. M.
LeMoine of Spencer Grange, Quebec; Captain H. M. Chit-
tenden, Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army ; Mr. O. B. Wheeler,
Assistant Engineer, Missouri River Commission, St. Louis,
Mo.; Professor Charles Sprague Sargent, of the Arnold
Arboretum of Harvard University, Jamaica Plain, Mass.;
the late Professor G. Brown Goode, then Director of the
U. S. National Museum ; Dr. Theodore Gill, of the Smith-
sonian Institution; Major John W. Powell, Director of the
U. S. Bureau of Ethnology ; Mr. F. W. Hodge, of the same
Bureau ; Mr. Byron Andrews of New York City ; particu-
larly, to Mrs. Mary B. Anderson of Washington, D. C,
who indexed the work so thoroughly that her co-operation
alone forms Vol. Ill,; and finally, to my esteemed pub-
lisher, Mr. Francis P. Harper of New York, whose liberal
and enterprising spirit left me entirely without restrictions
regarding the length to which I might go in editing the

Henry-Thompson Journals.

Elliott Coues.

1726 N Street, Washington, D. C.
October 2^th, 1896.

HENRY'S JOURNAL

Ipart f .

THE RED RIVER,

CHAPTER I.

MY FIRST VENTURE, 1799-I8OO.

HUTUMN, 1799. While building at Riviere Terre
Blanche [White Mud river'], near the foot of Fort
Dauphin [Riding] mountain, my Russia sheeting tent was
pitched in a low place on the lower branch of the little river,
sheltered from the wind, among some tall elms and oaks.
I was accustomed to sit up late, with a candle burning in my
tent, for some time after the fires had been put out. Some
of my people, who had occasion to sleep away from home,
assured me that from their camp, which was about 12 miles
E. of us, they could distinctly perceive this light, which they

' Henry's Journal opens thus abruptly, without a word of his journey to the
place. But we learn from other sources that he came from Montreal, by the
usual route — the portion of which from Lake Superior westward will be par-
ticularly noted beyond. His present temporary position is not determinable with
greater precision than the text affords ; it is in the Macdonald district of the
Province of Manitoba, some 35-40 m. W. N. W. of Portage la Prairie. The
stream named traverses the district eastward to fall into the S. W. angle of
Lake Manitoba, between places called Totogon and Lakeland ; the two prin-
cipal places upon it are Neepawa and Gladstone ; some of its lower branches
are Pine, Squirrel, and Rat crs.

Other geographical notes on points raised by incidental mention in this frag-
mentary chapter are best deferred to some more appropriate connection ; all
such will be found beyond.

2 A SHORT JOURNEY — HUNTERS' TERMS.

observed to be extinguished about midnight, when I used to
go to bed. Several Indians assured me of the same circum-
stances. I could only account for this by supposing the
reflection of the candle-light among the tops of the trees
to have caused this unusual illumination to be conveyed to
such a distance, as it was impossible, from the low situation
of my station, that my fire could have been seen through
the woods among which I was tented.

In the fall of 1799 I performed a short journey alone on
horseback from my winter-quarters to Portage la Prairie,
one of our establishments on the Assiniboine. The distance
was not more than 12 or 15 leagues. I left my house early
in the morning, on an excellent horse. My route lay
directly across an open plain for 15 or 20 miles. About the
middle of the traverse I was suddenly seized with a violent
colic ; the pain was so great that I could not keep my sad-
dle. I therefore dismounted, hoppled my horse, and threw
myself on the grass, where I lay in agony for two hours,
expecting every moment would be the last ; until, quite
exhausted, I feel asleep. But I was soon awakened by the
howling of a number of wolves that surrounded me. The
pain had entirely left me, but I was so weak as to be scarcely
able to mount my horse. I proceeded at a slow walk, as
my entrails could not bear the rough motion of a trot. In
this manner I escaped from the wolves, which had prob-
ably viewed me as their prey.

In 1799, at my winter-quarters on the Terre Blanche, ani-
mals were so scarce as to oblige me to hire my hunters upon
extravagant terms: For every moose [A/ces machlis\ six
skins ; '^ for every red deer,^ five skins ; to be paid for in

* That is, the value of six beaver skins, taken out in trade : see Pike, ed.
1895, p. 283, for \}t\t. plus as a standard of value in the fur-trade.

^ Henry so designates the American elk or wapiti, la hiche of the French,
Cerviis canadensis of naturalists, which in this country represents the red deer of
Europe, C. elaphus, and would naturally be taken by him for the same animal.
The relationship of the two is very close indeed, and "red deer" is less of a
misnomer than " elk," which is the Scandinavian name of Alces machhs, an
animal closely related to our moose, if not the same. Henry's phrase "red

A LITTLE TEMPERANCE TRACT. 3

whatever article of dry goods they might think proper to
take, at the low price of four skins for a fathom of com-
mon blue strouds or a blanket of 2)^ points, and other
goods in proportion ; silver-work at their choice in any
quantity and very cheap. Besides this dear bargain I gave
my two men, their wives, and all their children, each a full
clothing of the best goods in my store ; with a 9-gallon
keg of Saulteur liquor ' to each man. I also furnished
them with guns, knives, ammunition, tobacco, other articles
necessary for a hunter, and an allowance of two gallons of
liquor for every 10 animals they might kill. Even upon
these hard terms I was obliged to consider it a great favor
they did me. Animals were so scarce that we suffered
much from hunger. On Dec. 19th, 20th, and 21st we ate
nothing till the evening of the last day, when I received a

deer" is contrasted with his use of "fallow deer," for the common deer of
North America, Cariacus virginianus; but the true fallow deer is Dania platy-
ceros, a European species.

* Alcohol or " high wine," diluted to suit an Ojibway Indian's stomach, as
regarded from a commercial rather than digestive standpoint. Indians already
debauched would not stand so much water as fresh tribes could be induced to
exchange beaver skins for, and hence a difference in recognized degrees of dilu-
tion in different cases. On the Red and Assiniboine rivers, about 1800, it was
no uncommon thing for an Indian to give five or six prime beavers for a quart
of " Saulteur liquor" — a gill or two of alcohol, the rest water. For example,
Tanner's Narr., ed. James, 1830, p. 70, tells how liberally Netnokwa, an influen-
tial old lady among the Ojibways, conducted her drinking-bouts : " In the course
of a single day, she sold 120 beaver-skins, with a large quantity of buffalo robes,
dressed and smoked skins, and other articles, for rum. It was her habit, when-
ever she drank, to make drunk all the Indians about her, at least as far as her
means would extend. Of all our large load of peltries, the product of so many
days of toil, of so many long and difficult journeys, one blanket and three kegs
of rum only remained, besides the poor and almost worn out cloathing on our
bodies." Keating's Long's Exped. II. 1824, p. 67, states that one Desmarais
(probably Henry's man, of whom we shall hear more) bought of an Indian
about 120 beaver skins for two 3-point blankets, eight quarts of rum, and a
pocket looking-glass ; these goods, rated at $30, probably did not cost $15 ;
and the skins were sold in Montreal for upward of $400.

Henry or his copyist spells Satilieur in five or six ways, which I shall reduce
to the form above given: see Pike, ed. 1895, p. 30, where the origin of the
name is noted.

4 ADVANCE OF SPRING IN MANITOBA.

moose's head, which was boiled and divided among 17 per-
sons. This winter, 1799- 1800, we considered one of the
most extraordinary known for many years. Early in
November we had an extremely heavy fall of snow ; but
the rest of the season was open and mild.

Feb. igth, 1800. I left my house for Riviere Qu'Appelle
[or Calling river]. The snow was then melted in many
places on the plains. During my journey, which occupied
16 days, we saw only two bulls \Bison americamis] between
Montague a la Bois [Bosse] and Riviere Qu'Appelle.
" Hunger! " was the general cry at our establishments along
the Assiniboine.

Early in March the snow was entirely gone ; we were
obliged to abandon our dog-sleigh at Riviere la Souris
[Mouse river], and put our goods upon horses, yth. I saw
a few vultures [turkey-buzzards, Cathartes aura] and cormo-
rants {Phalacrocorax dilophus] at Riviere du Milieu, ijth.
A flock of swans [^Olor americanus or O. buccinator] at my
winter-quarters. i6th. Ducks and other spring birds. 20th.
We made sugar of the bastard maple [ash-leaved maple,
Negundo aceroides]. zp/t. The meadows on fire. 2yth.
Mosquitoes began to plague us.

April nth. The Terre Blanche having been clear of ice
for some time, I embarked in my canoe for Portage la
Prairie. Weather excessively hot. Wild pigeons {Ectopistes
migratorius] passing N. in great abundance. In a few days
we experienced a dreadful snowstorm, which continued with
great violence for three days, when there were three feet of
snow upon the ground ; but it did not remain long.

This campaign my house expenses for 17 persons were, . 1500 skins
I gave out in debts in the fall, to the Saulteur Indians, 982 "

Received in the course of the season, . . . 618
Loss 364 "

Total cost, 1864 skins

Notwithstanding this heavy expense and loss, amounting
to 1864 skins, mostly prime goods, and although I was

PROFIT OF THE FIRST CAMPAIGN. 5

strongly opposed by a neighbor, of the T Association from
Montreal, I had a clear profit of upward of £700, Halifax
currency, on the outfit of loading i J^ canoes, containing 40
pieces of goods.

This campaign was my first coup d'essai in the North-
west.

CHAPTER II.

THE RED RIVER BRIGADE OF 180O.

'^'HE route from Grand Portage to Lake Winnipeg is too
^^ well known to require description. I shall, therefore,
only keep memoranda of the successive obstructions to
our daily progress.*

Saturday, July igth, 1800, j p. m. Our baggage and
other necessaries having been carried over the portage,
which is about nine miles, our men fully equipped for the
year, and their accounts settled, I set off for Fort Charlotte,
where I arrived at 5 p. m. The portage was very bad in
some places, being knee-deep in mud and clay, and so slip-
pery as to make walking tedious.^

' On the regular Rainy River route, from Lake Superior to Lake Winnipeg.
Starting from the place still known as Grand Portage, it went overland g m. to
Fort Charlotte, on Pigeon r., up this river, down Rainy r. to Lake of the
Woods, through this lake to Winnipeg r., and down the latter to Lake Winnipeg.
From Pigeon r. to Lake of the Woods the route is identical with the present
international boundary between the United States and Canada, separating the
State of Minnesota from the Province of Ontario. The text is a bare itinerary,
with little incident or description, but it is interesting in giving the names of
places in the vernacular of thovoyageurs at the beginning of this century. We
shall be able to follow Henry closely, and I will take occasion to collate the
accounts of various other early travelers — notably of David Thompson, of whose
unpublished manuscripts I possess copious notes. He generally uses the
English equivalents of Henry's French names, enabling us to compare the two
sets of terms with each other and with modern designations. The best early
account of the route is in Sir A. McKenzie's classic, orig. ed. 4to, London,
1 801, pp. xlviii-lxii.

^ Grand Portage, of the French and English, was primarily the designation
of the long carrying-place over which baggage was taken on men's shoulders
from a point on Lake Superior to a point on Pigeon r , 9 m. distant ; but it
speedily became the name of the place on the lake whence the start was made,
and also the title of various establishments there. The situation is about 47°
58' N., 89° 39' W., by U. S. charts, on Grand Portage bay (too shallow for

THE START FROM GRAND PORTAGE.

Sunday, July 20th. The canoes having been given out
to the men, to gum and prepare, I found everything ready
for our departure ; and early this morning gave out to all
their respective loading, which consisted of 28 packages per
canoe, assorted for the Saulteur trade on Red river, namely :

Merchandise, 90 pounds each.

Canal tobacco,

Kettles, ....

Guns, . .

Iron works, ....

New twist tobacco, .

Leaden balls,

Leaden shot,

Flour, . . . .

Sugar, ....

Gunpowder, . . . .

High wine, 9 gallons each,

5 bales

I bale

I case

2 rolls

2 bags

I bag

I keg

2 kegs

10 kegs

Total,

28 pieces

vessels to land, and separated by Hat point from Wauswaugoning bay), in which
is the small Grand Portage isl. The most conspicuous object in the vicinity is
the hill now called Mt. Josephine, 703 ft. high (Thompson made it 741 ft. 11
Ins.). The N. W. establishment there, before and after 1800, was a stockaded
post, 24 X 30 rods, on the edge of the bay and under the hill ; it was long a
famous rendezvous of the Northmen, who were assembled sometimes to the
number of more than a thousand. It was abandoned in 1803, headquarters
being then removed to Kaministiquia (Fort William), In 1785 the old fort
was in charge of Mr. Croutier, with Mr. Givins of Montreal as clerk. In the
spring of that year Gregory, McLeod & Co. started a rival post in charge of
Pierre Lanniau or L'Anneau, with Roderick McKenzie as clerk, and 18 voy-
ageurs. The X. Y. Co. post was built in 1797, about 200 rods from that of the
N. W. Co., across a small stream which makes into the bay. The elder Henry
says that, when he arrived at Grand Portage, June 28th, 1775, he "found the
traders in a state of extreme hostility, each pursuing his interests in such a
manner as might most injure his neighbour," p. 239. Fort Charlotte was the
N. W. Co. post at the other end of the portage, on Pigeon r. The labor of
land-carriage was great ; McKenzie says, p. xliv., that each voyageur was
required to carry eight of the ordinary packages or pieces ; but if more were to
be transported, the man was allowed a Spanish dollar for each one. ' ' I have
known some of them," he adds, to "set off with two packages of 90 pounds
each, and return with two others of the same weight, in the course of six hours,
being a distance of 18 miles."

Pigeon r., also called Dove r., derives these names from the F. phrase Riviere

8 PIGEON RIVER — PARTRIDGE PORTAGE, ETC.

Equipage for the voyage : Provisions for four men to
Red river, 4 bags corn, i^ bushels in each ; y^, keg grease ;
4 packages, of about 90 pounds each, private property be-
longing to the men, consisting of clothing, tobacco, etc.,
for themselves and families for the year; so that when all
hands were embarked, the canoes sunk to the gunnel.

At ten o'clock the brigade were all off, and at three
o'clock I followed. The water was very low. In a short
time we came to Partridge portage," of about 600 paces
over. The road was very slippery and muddy. Having
got our baggage over, we embarked and proceeded to the
Prairie, where our people were camped. All were merry
over their favorite regale, which is always given on their
departure, and generally enjoyed at this spot, where we
have a delightful meadow to pitch our tents, and plenty of
elbow-room for the men's antics.

July 2ist. The canoes were early on the water with half
a load, which was conveyed to Grosse Roche.* There we
found the water so low that we were obliged to carry all
our baggage and canoes over for about 1,000 paces, through
a path made bad by a number of pines which had lately
been blown down. We then, by means of half-loads, pro-

aux Tourtres, or the River of Turtles, sc, turtle-doves, probably referring to
the passenger-pigeon, Ectopistes 7}iigratorius. The phrase also appears as des
Tourtres, Au Tourt, etc. A name current earlier was Riviere aux Groseilles,
as if Currant or Gooseberry r. ; but this is also found as Groseilliers r., in all
the variation of spelling of that personal name, which was borne by the cele-
brated companion of Radisson in the 17th century. The stream is a compara-
tively small one, which flows eastward into Lake Superior at 48? N., after a
turbulent course of rapids and falls. It arises in the Height of Land which
separates the waters of the Great Lakes from those of Hudson's bay, being
there connected with certain sources of Rainy r. Pigeon r. is joined toward its
mouth by Arrow r. , on the N., from Arrow 1.

* Portage du Perdrix of the F., a place where Pigeon r. falls over a precipice
whose often alleged height of 100 ft. is exaggerated. This first interruption of
navigation is about l^ m. above Fort Charlotte ; the portage is good, on ihe
left, 380 yards, S. 60° W. It is about 2j4 m. hence to the usual first camping-
ground, at la Prairie or the Meadow.

•* Otherwise Big Rock or Great Stone portage, i>^ m. from the last, on the
right, 485 yards, N, 40° W.

CARIBOU TO THE CHERRY PORTAGES. 9

ceeded to Caribou " portage, over which our baggage was
carried about 700 paces, while the canoes were towed up
among the rocks. We then proceeded to Outarde por-
tage * with half a load, and put up for the night, having
sent the canoes back for the rest of their lading.

July 22d. It was late before the canoes arrived. Our
baggage was soon over, although this portage is about 3,000
paces. We then embarked on Outarde lake, and came
to Orignal portage of 1,000 paces, after which we em-
barked on Orignal ' lake. I left my loaded canoes at this
place and proceeded to Grand Portage des Cerises,* about
1,000 paces. Thence to Petit Vaseux portage, about 400
paces, and thence to the last Vaseux [or Little Cherry] por-

^ Or Deer portage, as it was also called, the caribou being the woodland
reindeer, Rangifer caribou. This carrying-place is Y^ m. from the last, on
the left, 540 yards. The name has sometimes been rendered Carreboeuf.

^Portage aux Outardes of the F., literally Bustard portage, but equivalent
to Goose portage, as outarde is the name by which the voyageurs knew the
Canada goose, Bernicla canadensis. It is now sometimes called Fowl portage.
The place is 3 m. from the last, on the right, 1,748 yards. It conducts into
Lac aux Outardes, or Goose 1., as Henry presently says. His statement of its
length is exaggerated, unless his paces were short ; another authority says 2,400
paces. Thompson speaks in this connection of a certain Goose rock, " about
20 high." Goose 1. used to be called 6 m. long; it is not far from 4 m.,
including a constriction which divides it into two lakes, to be found on some
modern maps as North Fowl and South Fowl lakes ; the width is a mile or
two ; the direction, nearly N.

' Or Moose portage and lake, as it was then and is still also called : for the
name orignal, see Pike, ed. 1895, p. 87. McKenzie gives this as Elk portage.
The length of the carrying-place is about as said ; the lake is some 4 m. long,
by \% wide, extending in an E. and W. direction. A portage, off the route
we take, conducts N. to Arrow r. from Moose 1.

* Long Cherry or Great Cherry portage, the first and most difficult of the
three which intervene between Moose 1. and Mountain 1., about 2^ m. from
Moose portage ; it is 762 yards long, N. 60° W. , on the right of the stream.
This conducts into a little lake, 400 yards long, and then comes Petit Vaseux, or
Little Muddy portage, also called Second Cherry portage, 250 to 300 yards long,
according to state of the water, on the right. Another reach of about y^ m.
brings us to what Henry calls the last Vaseux portage, also known as Third
Cherry, Little Cherry, and Lesser Cherry portage, 250 yards long, about S. 60°
W. The Mountain 1. thus reached is some 6 m. or more long, by about 2 m.
in greatest width, lying nearly E. and W.

lO NEW PORTAGES TO ROSE LAKE.

tage, about 500 paces, over which we embarked on Moun-
tain lake. Through this we proceeded with a fine breeze
aft, and in a few hours reached Petit Portage Neuf,* over
which we carried about 600 paces, when we came to a small
[Watab] lake. Having passed this, we came to the Petit
Detroit, a narrow place where a canoe can scarcely pass.
Here, in forcing our passage, we broke a hole in the bot-
tom of one canoe, which obliged us to unload and repair ;
after which we proceeded to Grand Portage Neuf, where
we put up for the night, my people being much fatigued.

July 2jd. The men were early at work on the portage,
which is about 3,000 paces long ; at ten o'clock all was over.
Here I found many canoes, some finishing the portage,
others embarking ; all was bustle and confusion. We
pitched our tent for the night, to await the brigade, which
arrived this evening. They all made merry upon some
small kegs of wine generally given them on their engage-
ment at Grand Portage, one or two gallons to each man.

July 2ph. Loaded and embarked at daybreak, crossed
Rosa" lake to Petite Peche, where there were some canoes

^Little New portage, which succeeds Mountain 1., was so named from the
circumstance that what was an old route in those days followed a different
track from the one we are on. It is now called Watab portage. It is 480 yds.
long, in direction N. 70° W., and is stony and uneven, with some high banks.
The lake into which it conducts is Watab 1., a mile or two long, first westerly,
and then turning southward. This is called Rove 1. on the G. L. O. map of
Minnesota of 1894, and also on another map before me. Petit Detroit, or
Little strait, is a place where the passage narrows to a few feet, and is so shoal
that a canoe had sometimes to be discharged, or even carried. Thence it is
only about a mile to Great New portage, or New Grand portage, which is some
1,400 yards long, and thus occupies most of the interval between Watab 1. and
the next one, Rose 1. For this reason it has been sometimes called Rose
portage.

'" "Rosa" 1. may be intended for Roseau (or Reed) 1., but is now com-
monly known as Rose 1. This supposition is strengthened by the fact that an
alternative name is Mud 1., and a muddy lake is one in which reeds are likely
to grow. The G. L. O. map of 1894 letters " Rose or Mud." Rose 1. affords
the closest connection with Arrow 1., on the N. The course in Rose 1. is 2 m.
W. to what Henry calls Petite Peche — a term whose significance in this con-
nection escapes me. Thence it is but a short reach of 3 m. to Martin or Marten

PORTAGE OF THE HEIGHT OF LAND. II

not yet stirring, and soon after came to Martin portage,
which is only 20 paces from the small lake. We then
followed Portage des Perches about 500 paces to the lake
of the same name. Having passed this we came to Portage
du Hauteur des Terres [Land's Height], which is about
700 paces. At this place the men generally finish their
small kegs of liquor an(^ fight many a battle. We reloaded
the canoes and proceeded on Lac du Hauteur des Terres
to the D^charge des Epingles, where we carried down half
our lading about 50 paces. Thence we continued to
Flint " lake, through which we passed. A fine wind aft

portage, only 18 yards, on the left, into the very small lake to which he refers.
Immediately on crossing this we reach Perche portage, of 320 yards, which
conducts into the lake to which Henry applies the same name. But this is now
known as South 1., to distinguish it from the adjacent North 1.; and between
these two is the Height of Land. The course in South 1. is about 3 m. westerly
to near its end, then turning N. to the portage of the Height of Land over into
North 1. Hauteur des Terres (or de Terre) is a more general name of the high
land, full of small lakes, which occupies the region between the waters of
Pigeon r., flowing eastward, and those of Rainy r., taking the opposite direc-
tion. Land's Height portage itself is about 400 yards long, and strikes Lac du
Hauteur des Terres (present North 1.) not far from its lower end ; so that,
though North 1. is much longer and wider than South 1., the course in it is
crooked and short, being only about 2 m. to the Decharge des Epingles. (In
voyageurs' language a discharge is a place where the canoe must be unloaded
wholly or in part, and can then be handed down by a rope, the cargo or a part
of it being carried on land ; but at a portage everything is carried, including
the canoe.) This discharge is 40 yards long, and from this place the distance
is only about i^ m. to the large lake next to be named.

" Flint 1. is more fully Gun Flint 1., a term translating the F. phrase Lac des
Pierres a Fusil ; Harmon renders Flinty 1. The length is 7 m., with a width
of a mile or two in different places. It is traversed its whole length, about
W. S. W., to near the end, where the track turns N. W. through a narrow place
about 6 yards wide for 15 yards. This constriction marks off a part of what
was Gun Flint 1. of old, but is now distinguished by the modern name of Mag-
netic 1., about a mile long, N. N. W. The Duluth, Port Arthur, and Western
Ry. crosses this narrow place to go to Gun Flint iron mine. Magnetic 1. is
succeeded by a course 8 yards wide with a fall of 12 or 14 feet in three ridges
or steps, where there is a carriage of 40 yards to be made over a point of rocks
on the right, formerly known as Escalier or Ladder portage, now called Little
Rock portage. From this place onward quite to Saganaga 1. the route is simply
a succession of little lakes with intervening narrows, like beads on a string.

12 GUN FLINT LAKE TO LAKE SAGANAGA.

soon took US to Escalier portage, over which we carried
about 60 paces, when we embarked and proceeded to the
Cheval de Bois, an ugly portage of about 400 paces. Thence
to Portage des Gros Pins,''* which is about 700 paces, to a
small lake. Through this we passed to a chain of rapids
and small lakes and down to Marabou portage, which is
about 200 paces. This is succeeded by several small rapids,
through which we passed to Pointe a la Framboise [Rasp-
berry point], where we camped about dark. The men were
much fatigued. We found the air very cold. Gummed
our canoes by torch-light, as they had received some dam-
age in coming down the last rapid.

July 2^th. At four o'clock we embarked, and having
descended several rapids came to Petit Rocher de Sagi-
naga,'^ a small portage of about 60 paces. At nine o'clock

requiring discharges or carriages at frequent short intervals. The " ugly one,"
which Henry names Cheval de Bois, is nowr known as Wood Horse portage, of
which Thompson's MS. remarks that it would be an excellent place for a mill,
being, in fact, a dam site, better than any other for that purpose.

'* Portage of the Big Pines, now simply Pine p., 640 paces or 400 yards long,
off to the left over a ridge, from a sort of bay, in a N. W. direction to a small
lake. It thus leaves the channel of Rainy r. to avoid some obstructions in the
latter. Henry's Marabou portage was also known as Maraboeuf p., a name
which appears on some of the modern maps ; his Pointe a la Framboise I do
not identify. The route along here, before reaching the falls to be presently
mentioned, includes obstructions which are noted in Thompson's MS. as
Muddy portage or Grande Decharge, Stone rapids, and Cedar portage. The
route is through or past Granite bay, Gneiss 1., Maraboeuf 1., and Cross bay,
of modern nomenclature ; it proceeds in a very crooked but on the whole N. W.
course of 7 m. into Maraboeuf 1., and then due.N. 4 m. to Saganaga falls.

'3 Little Saganaga rock, position of Saganaga falls ; carry on the left 25
yards or more, according to height of water, and proceed about i3<j rn- into the
large lake of the same name. This still fluctuates in spelling, as it always has
done ; the maps before me have Saginaga, Saganaga, and Seiganagah, once
Saginaca ; Thompson's MS. has Seiganah. This is much the largest body of
water we have hitherto entered, and of extremely irregular figure ; much of it
is crowded with small islands, and it has various connections with surrounding
bodies of water. The whole length is about 12 m. in a general N. E. to S. W.
direction; but the lake is entered from the S., and the course through it is
much curved on itself. The detroit which Henry mentions is probably the
strait which marks off Cache bay at the S. W. end of the lake. Thompson

KNIFE LAKE AND PORTAGES. 1 3

we entered Lake Saginaga and came to L'Anse de Sable.
Here we found some Indians making canoes for sale ; but
as none of them were to my taste, we proceeded to the
detroit in the lake. My canoe ran afoul of a sharp rock
and in an instant was full of water. We put ashore to
repair the damage, and in the meantime dried our goods,
which had got wet, and embarked. We soon came to the
last Petit Rocher de Saginaga portage, which is about
50 paces long. We thence proceeded to Prairie portage,"
where we found the water so low that it was with the
utmost difficulty we could unload. We carried about 600
paces, and then proceeded to Petit Rocher des Couteaux
portage, which is about 150 paces long. We loaded again,
embarked, and went to the W. end of Lac des Couteaux,
where we camped.

July 26th. We early embarked, descended seven small
rapids, and passed through the same number of small lakes,
when we arrived at Petit Rocher, a short portage of about
50 paces ; thence we went through a small lake to the last
Petit Rocher des Couteaux portage, about 200 paces long,

notes a place along here only 4 yards wide. Henry's "last Petit Rocher de
Saginaga" is now called Portage la Roche, which conducts us from Lake
Saganaga into a small one now called Swamp 1. The passage between these
two lakes is nearly, if not exactly, on the line between Cook Co., Minn., which
has thus far been on our left the whole way from Fort Charlotte, and Lake Co.
of the same State.

The elder Henry, who was here July 20th, 1775, speaks of Lake Sagunac, i. e.,
Saganaga, as the situation of the hithermost French post in the N, W, , where
there had been a large Chippewa village, destroyed by the Sioux. When
populous this village had been a menace to the traders, by extorting liquor and
other goods ; but he found only three squalid lodges : Trav., p. 241.

'* Through the small Swamp 1. named in my last note. Prairie p. is now
called Swamp p., being in part boggy; it is little over 300 yards long, W. S. W.,
and conducts into a narrow body of water now known as Otter Track 1., 3 or
4 m. long, and for the most part quite narrow, like a river. Petit Rocher des
Couteaux is present Little Knife portage ; Thompson calls it Little Knife Stone
Carrying Place, 52 yards long. Lac des Couteaux or Knife 1. is a narrow body
of water some 7 m. long from N. E. to S. W.; its name, as well as those of
the several portages through and beyond it, refers to the sharp stones which
abound in this portion of the route.

14 BASSWOOD LAKE AND PORTAGES.

into another small [Carp] lake, through which we passed
to Portage des Carpes," about 400 paces long. Thence
through a winding channel [present Birch lake] to Gros
Portage des Bois Blancs, which is near 300 paces long.
Here we met three canoes from Rainy lake, loaded with
packs from the Athabasca Department, bound to Grand
Portage. I delivered to them my dispatches for Montreal.
We came on through Lac des Bois Blancs as far as the
Pine islands, where we found a few Indians making canoes.
Mine was in such a bad state that I could proceed no
further ; I therefore determined to wait for a new one here,
there being several on the stocks. The Indians were drink-
ing and rather troublesome.

Sunday, July 2jth. This morning we had rain, which
continued until ten o'clock, when the weather cleared up,
and the Indians set to work finishing my canoe. At eleven
o'clock, four more canoes from Rainy lake, with Athabasca
packs, passed, and at one o'clock, Roderick McKenzie
arrived in a light canoe, two days from Lac la Pluie,
expecting to reach Grand Portage early on the 29th; he
left at two o'clock. Several canoes overtook and passed me
while I was impatiently waiting ; but the Indians, from yes-
terday's debauch, were not in a working humor, and were
continually smoking and begging for liquor. The weather
was warm and sultry, which so increased their laziness that

1* Carp 1. is several miles long, but lies mostly off the route, to the right, so
that a short course across its lower end brings us to Carp portage, 278 yards long.
Upon making this carriage, we enter what Henry calls the " winding channel "
of present Birch 1., the course through which is 3 or 4 m. On finishing this we
come to the first Bois Blanc or Great Basswood portage, which intervenes
between Birch 1. and Basswood 1. Bois blanc is a F. name of Tilia americana,
often literally translated whitewood. Thompson calls this portage Great White-
wood Carrying-place, and notes a house which had been burned when he passed
by, Aug. i6th, 1797. It is 140 yards long, with a steep bank on the E. side.
Basswood 1. is much larger than any body of water hitherto passed ; the air-line
distance from- entrance to exit may not be over 10 m., but the route winds
through the lake to a length of probably 15 m. Another F. name of this lake
appears in print as Lac Passeau, and an Indian one is given as Passeau Minac
Sagaigan, tr. L. of Dry Berries.

CROOKED LAKE AND PORTAGES. 15

they finally fell asleep. The women brought me plenty of
fine large hurtleberries [whortleberries or huckleberries], of
which there is an abundance on the rocks around this lake.
Toward evening the Indians awoke and -insisted upon my
giving them liquor, otherwise I should have no canoe ; and
they threatened to break my old one. However, I per-
sisted in refusing. We came to high words, and, in our
turn, menaced them with a good beating if they misbe-
haved. This had the desired effect, and about midnight we
got rid of them.

July 28th. This morning the scoundrels refused to work,
and I was obliged to set my own men to finish the canoe.
She was completed at ten o'clock, when we loaded and
embarked, giving the fellows a receipt for the canoe — 60
skins, payable at Lac la Pluie. At twelve o'clock we came
to the end of [Basswood] lake, and thus to Petit Portage
des Bois Blancs,'" which is about 200 paces over. Thence
we went down several ugly rapids to Portage des Grands
Pins, about 400 paces long, and then to Portage de la Pointe
des Bois, over which we carried about 300 paces. We pro-
ceeded to Petit Rocher du Lac Croche, a portage of about
100 paces over a rock, to Lac la Croche." At the Rock in

'* Little Basswood, or Lesser Whitewood portage — the qualifying term refer-
ring not to the trees, but to the length of this carrying-place, in comparison
with that one by which Basswood 1. is entered from the E. It is 140 yards,
with good carriage on the left hand. The next one, Great Pines portage, which
occurs within a mile or two, is 330 yards long, and is carried also on the left.
Point of Woods portage soon succeeds, 128 yards long, carried S. by E., on the
right. The next obstruction, which blocks the entrance to Lac la Croche, was
formerly known as Petit Rocher or Little Stone portage, but is now usually
called Portage la Croche; the carriage is 75 yards, on the left, and there are
steep, smooth rocks on one side; the descent of water through the place is about
12 feet, in two inclines.

" Or Crooked 1., whose shape is implied in the name; for, besides being
extremely irregular in details of contour, it is bent upon itself about midway, so
that the traverse is for nearly the first half due N., with many minor windings,
and then turns W. The term covers the whole body of waters from the portage
last named to Rideau or Curtain portage, a distance, as traveled, of about 18 m.
There appear to be no obstructions in this course, but various points about the
lake are known by name. Among them is Henry's " Rock in Arrows," about

l6 CURTAIN AND BOTTLE PORTAGES.

Arrows we met nine canoes loaded with Athabasca packs.
At sunset came to Portage de Rideau, where we stopped
for the night. This portage is about 400 paces.

July 2gth. At six o'clock we embarked, overtook several
canoes, and arrived at Flacon portage,'* which is about 400
paces, exclusive of a small discharge which occasions a
portage of 70 paces when the water is low. We next
entered Lac la Croix,'^ but the wind soon came on ahead
and obliged us to put ashore, where we waited some time.
We again embarked, came on to Pointe au Sable, and put

3 m. beyond Portage la Croche. The name is thus explained by McKenzie,
p. liv : "... a remarkable rock, with a smooth face, but split and cracked
in different parts; which hang over the water. Into one of its horizontal
chasms a great number of arrows have been shot, which is said to have been
done by a war party of Nadowasis or Sioux, who had done much mischief in this
country, and had left these weapons as a warning to the Chebois [Ojibways] or
natives." Thompson names two places as Grand Galles and Millstone Rock.
He describes " Riedo " [Rideau] portage as 149 yards long, carriage on the left,
the lower bank steep, rugged, and rocky, the descent of water 20 feet. In
traversing the latter part of Crooked 1., the voyageur crosses the line between
Lake Co. and St. Louis Co., Minn.

'* Or Bottle portage, as it was also then and is now generally called. Thomp-
son gives the English name, 1797, and it appears on recent maps. The interval
between Curtain and Bottle portages, represented by part of present Iron 1., is
between 3 and 4 m. Thence the distance is about 5 m., northerly, past
Shortiss and other islands, into what may be considered Lac la Croix, or Cross
1. proper, though the whole body of water hitherward from Curtain portage
may have been sometimes covered by the name.

'^ Lac la Croix, as it is still called, or Cross 1., is a larger body of water than
any hitherto traversed on this route ; but its shape is so peculiar, and its exten-
sions or connections so numerous and various, that authorities differ in the impli-
cation of the name. Furthermore, there is an alternative name, Nequaquon ;
thus, the G. L. O. map of 1894 gives the whole lake as Nequowquon, while the
best Canadian map before me restricts Neguaquon to a comparatively small lake
connected with the W. end of Lac la Croix. Various lesser offsets or lakes
now have special names. The main body of water is bent upon itself in such
a figure that the course we are following — the main channel or international
boundary — is first N., then W., then S., independently of its minor bends. If
we take Lac la Croix for what it appears to have been considered in Henry's
time, it includes the three Portages de la Croix, or Cross portages, which he
names. Thompson gives the same three, as being respectively 173, 228, and 61
yards long. This course would appear to include the small expansion now
known as Loon 1., as this is mentioned neither by Henry nor by Thompson ;

CROSS LAKE — LAKE NAMAKAN. 1/

up for the night. Mosquitoes and sandflies were very
troublesome. We here found Indians making canoes.

July joth. At daybreak we embarked and came to the
first Petit Portage de la Croix, which is 200 paces long ; then
through a crooked piece of water to the middle Portage de
la Croix, which is 400 paces ; thence it is but a short distance
to the last Petit Portage de la Croix, which is but 50 paces
over. We then loaded and descended the little Riviere la
Croix to Vermillion lake, between which and Lac Namay-
can we are sometimes obliged to make a portage of 300
paces, when the water is low. We came on through the
last-mentioned lake to Pointe de Sable, where we found
some Indians making canoes. Here we gummed, re-
embarked, and came to the traverse.*" The wind blew a

and beyond this the way narrows to what Henry calls Riviere la Croix, 4 m.
long, leading S. W., thence N. W., into Vermillion 1.

Cross 1. can hardly have been so named from its own shape, for that is more
like a broad, short ox-bow ; but it may be called something like a cross if we
take into account its two most important connections, as collateral with those
we have already traced. These are : on the N. E. , with Riviere Maligne, Malign,
or Sturgeon r., and on the N., about the middle of the lake, with Namakan r.,
alongside La Croix Indian village. The Malign River connection is specially
notable because, in Henry's time, it afforded what was called the " new route"
from Lac la Croix, /. e. , a route to the newly established post at Kaministiquia
(Fort William). We shall recur to this route later on, when Henry first takes
it. The Namakan r. is simply another connection between Lac la Croix and
Namakan 1., to be presently noticed. Among other ways out of Cross l..may
be mentioned one by Wild Goose r. to a chain of small lakes to the N. E.;
Whitson's portage, N., over to Wolsley or Donald 1.; and Neguaquon portage,
W., on the Dawson route to Namakan 1.

''■^ That is, the crossing of Lac Namaycan. Thompson calls this Lac le Mecan,
as if it were French ; McKenzie maps " L. Micane "; but it is an Indian name,
now rendered Namakan, Namekan, Namaukan, or Nameukan, referring to
a place at a fall where the natives speared sturgeon. Before coming to the lake
proper, Henry passes from his small, narrow Vermillion 1., still so called, to
present Crane 1., which lies mostly off to the S. or left, but conducts directly
into Sand Point 1. This last is named from Henry's Pointe de Sable, or Sand
pt, and appears to have been taken as a part of Namakan 1., separated from
the rest by a narrow passage. From this passage, where Namakan 1. may be
said to begin, the main channel is very circuitous into Rainy 1., being first about
W., then N., then E., to a total distance of some 18 or 19 m., or to the vicinity
of Kettle falls, which, as it were, guard the entrance into Rainy 1. But there

1 8 NEW PORTAGES TO RAINY LAKE.

gale from the N. W,, which obHged us to camp for the
night.

July J 1st. The wind still blew strong ahead; however,
with some difificulty, we got over the traverse to the first
Petit Portage Neuf, which is about 2CXD paces. Thence we
passed through a small winding river to the last Petit
Portage Neuf, which is about 300 paces long.^' Here we
gummed, and went down a crooked passage to the entrance
of Rainy lake." The wind, having increased, obliged us to

is a much shorter cut into Rainy 1., crossing Namakan 1. about 7 m.
W. N. W., and then on through a narrow passage of less than 2 m., with two
portages (see next note) ; a third, and entirely different way, passes through
Kabetogama or Kahpetogamak 1., and by portage into Rat Root 1., or Black
bay of Rainy 1.

^' Mention of these two portages shows that Henry took the cut-off referred
to in the last note. This way is now called Soldiers' portage. Thompson gives
the same two portages that Henry names, as respectively of 135 and 180 yards,
N. W. and N. 30° W. ; he also speaks of his course " in a dead narrow,"
between them, and presently notes a fall on the left as he enters Rainy 1. —
no doubt the Kettle falls I have already mentioned. We may be satisfied
therefore, that the usual trader's route took the Soldiers' portage cut-off from the
circuitous course of the main channel, or what is now the international bound-
ary line, between the two lakes. Compare McKenzie, p. Iv.

^"^ Rainy 1. is by far the largest body of water on this route, givirg name to the
whole waterway or chain of lakes thus far traversed since we left Pigeon r., and
more particularly to Rainy Lake r. , or Rainy r., which is the main issuant
stream, considerably less than lOO m. long, by which these waters are connected
with Lake of the Woods. The origin of the name has been questioned, and
" Rainy " said to be a corruption of Rene, "name of its Canadian discoverer."
But Rainy simply translates the old and still current French phrase, Lac a la
Pluie, or Lac de la Pluie, or Lac la Pluie — the implication of which does not
appear in the climate or weather, but in the mist, like rain, which is raised by
the cascade near the discharge of the lake into Rainy r. proper. This is stated
distinctly by Joseph La France, 1740, and is the usually accepted explanation,
which I see no reason to question. The French term itself is coupled
with and probably derived from an Indian word found in old records as
Tekamammaouen. It is written Tekamamihouenne by Verendrye, 1738.
James' Tanner's Narr., 1830, p. 79, says that " the river which falls into Rainy
Lake, is called Kocheche-se-bee, (Source River,)."

The lake is of more irregular figure, with more numerous, intricate connec-
tions than would be imagined by one who had never examined a map of it on
a sufficiently large scale, or than could possibly be described in a few words.
Roughly speaking, it consists of a large northern expansion, with which we have

THE TRAVERSE OF RAINY LAKE. I9

put ashore. We passed the rest of the day on an island,
where we found plenty of ripe hurtleberries.

Au^. 1st. The wind continued strong ahead. At ten
o'clock a canoe arrived from the Saskatchewan with six
Indians, on their way to Montreal, with a few packs of furs
of their own dressing. By this opportunity, the last this
season, I once more wrote to my friends in Canada. At
three o'clock they passed on. The wind now abating a
little, we embarked, and with great difficulty reached Petit
Detroit" some time after dark. Just at this moment a
black thunder-storm was collecting ; we could not land, as
a reef of rocks prevented approach to the shore ; and,
before we could reach a proper landing, the storm burst
upon us, with thunder, lightning, rain, and a terrible
squall from the W. We got under the lee of a large stone,
where, all hands clinging to it, with much trouble we kept
our canoes from being blown out upon the lake, where we
must inevitably have perished. The thunder and lightning
were horrid ; every flash served but to show us our danger,
and instantly left us in utter darkness. Toward day the
storm abated, but we did not think proper to stir from our
large stone till daybreak.

Ati£: 2d. This morning we had fine weather, when we
put ashore to refresh ourselves after our night's fatigue.
At ten o'clock we embarked, and having passed through the
lake came to the entrance of Riviere du Lac la Pluie, down
which we went to Chaudiere portage, which is about 200
paces. We embarked below this and proceeded to the fort

here nothing to do, and of a long extension, nearly E. and W., subdivided into
two parts at the Brule Narrows. The course is practically the same as the inter-
national boundary through these two last-named parts, from main inlet to main
outlet of the lake, and in a direction but little N. of W. The air-line distance
we go is about 34 m. ; the actual distance is perhaps 40 m. , as we wind through
several straits and among many of the islands with which the lake is for the most
part crowded ; still the course is on the whole pretty direct.

"^^ This " little strait " is apparently the Brule Narrows, already mentioned as
separating the easternmost extension of Rainy I. from the main central portion
yet to be traversed.

20 RAINY LAKE HOUSE AND RIVER.

or establishment of Lac la Pluie, where we found Mr. Grant,
one of the proprietors of the N. W. Co." Here we stopped
for the day. There is a good garden, well stocked with
vegetables of various kinds — potatoes, in particular, which
are now eatable. This evening my brigade arrived all safe.
The gentlemen danced until daybreak, all very merry.

Sunday, Aug. 3d. Set all hands to work repairing their
canoes. At twelve o'clock they were ready, and immedi-
ately embarked. We have great plenty of sturgeon {Acipen-
ser rubicundus] at present. Having dined, I embarked at
four o'clock ; passed the Grande Fourche [Big Fork river],
where a few Red [Lake?] Indians were camped; saw also
some Indians at Riviere Noir [Black river]. We camped

" In finishing the traverse of Rainy 1., Henry doubtless took a course nearly
or quite the same as the present international boundary, which runs W. in a
pretty straight direction between various isls., two of the largest of which are
now called Sand Point isl. and Dry Weed isl., and two others are Red Pine and
Jackfish. In so doing also, he ceases to have St. Louis Co., Minn., on his left,
and enters upon Itasca Co., just before passing opposite a place called Rainy
Lake City, on the E. side of the entrance to Black bay. He leaves the lake and
enters Rainy r. proper at Pither's point. This river begins with rapids at the
discharge of the lake for about 400 yards, S. to W. Henry does not notice
these rapids, but the place is historically notable, for at their foot stood Fort St.
Pierre, a picketed French post built by Verendrye in 1731 in a meadow, amid
groves of oak. This is said to have been destroyed before 1763 ; it is not
noticed by the elder Henry, 1775. From the rapids the course is S. 60° W. %
m., S. 72° W. %'m., and N. 40° W. yi m. to the Chaudiere portage of the
text. This carriage was on the right for 150 yards, occasioned by the falls —
among the many called Chaudiere or Kettle, and sometimes formerly Chute de
la Chaudiere— where there is a descent of water of 20 ft. in three ridges. Here
is the site of present Alberton, Ont., and of the H. B. Co. post called Fort
Frances, after Sir Geo. Simpson's wife, though found on some maps as Fort
Francis and Fort St. Francis. The N. W. Co. establishment, Rainy Lake
House, to which Henry proceeds, was but little further down, on the high bank
on the N. side. Thompson calls it half a mile from the falls to the N. W. Co,
house to which he proceeded in 1797. The oldest post in this vicinity (exact
site undetermined) is said to have been the one called Tekamamicuen or
Takamanigan, established by La Noue in 1717. In 1823 the H. B. Co. post
was in charge of Mr. Simon McGillivray ; and the A. F. Co. had a house on
the other side of the river, in charge of Mr. Davenport. Long's party here
found John Tanner, whose extraordinary narrative was pub. in 1830 in the
language of Dr. Edwin James, 8vo, N. Y.

DOWN RAINY LAKE RIVER. 21

below Manitou rapids," where we found several Indians
fishing. They had a great many sturgeon and various kinds
of small fish, a few of which were exchanged for liquor.
The Indians were drinking all night, but not troublesome.

Au£: ^th. At daybreak we embarked and passed the old
H. B. Co. establishment, which has been abandoned for sev-
eral years. Soon after we came down the Long Sault." At
twelve o'clock passed Rapid river,^' at two o'clock passed

^' Three rivers which fall into Rainy r. below Rainy 1., through Itasca Co.,
Minn., and thus from the right, are : i. Pogonowisebe or Little Fork r. 2.
Big Fork r. This arises in a multitude of lakes in the region N. and N. E. of
Winnibigoshish, Bowstring, and Ball Club lakes, and thus from the divide
between Mississippian and Hudsonian waters. Its average course is due N.
It seems to have acquired consequence as a route of the A. F. Co., after
Henry's time ; Thompson describes it in 1798. 3. Black r., a small stream
falling in 4 m. below Big Fork r. The first of these Henry passes unnoticed ;
it falls in opposite the Indian reserve, 3^ m. below Isherwood P. O., Ont.
The Big Fork he mentions is about 6 m. below Little Fork r. ; nearly midway
between these two, on the right, comes Lavallee r., and about the mouth of the
Big Fork are places called Big Forks P. O., Ont., and Hannafoi-d, Minn.
Between the Big Fork and Black r. is a cluster of islands. All the streams
here in mention, and several lesser ones, enter Rainy r. in a large loop which
the river makes southward, and where it is flowing W. ; but a mile or two be-
yond Black r. the river turns N. and then curves W. to Manitou rapids, where
Indians were fishing when Henry camped. Here is still the site of an Indian
village in a reserve 3 m. square on the Ontario side (No. 11, Barwick).
Thompson says he ran the rapid S. 10' W. 176 yards on the left, and notes the
small island ^ m. below, on the right.

^® The Long Sault is a rapid which appears on some modem maps, e. g. , the
Rand-McNally, Chicago, 1894, as " Long Sioux," by confusion of similarly
sounding words ; it appears correctly on the Jewett map, St. Paul, 1894 ; but
neither this nor Manito rapids is marked on the latest G. L. O. map of Minne-
sota, 1894, which is very crude and defective in detail all along the route we are
pursuing. The distance appears to be about 8 m. from Manitou rapids to the
Long Sault ; and the latter is the location of an Indian reserve, 5 m. square, on
the Ontario side,

^' Rapid r. is the present name of the only other one Henry notices of several
streams running into Rainy r. on the Minnesota side. It flows in Beltrami Co.,
and empties near the W. boundary of Itasca Co. Two others are Baudette r.
and Winter Road r. But there is some uncertainty about these streams, as the
country is not yet surveyed. The G. L. O. map brings in a nameless river
exactly on the boundary between Itasca and Beltrami cos., then Rapid r. and
Baudette r., but runs Winter Road r. into Lake of the Woods, several miles

22 TO THE LAKE OF THE WOODS.

another old H. B. Co, establishment, and soon after came
to the entrance of Lake of the Woods;" when, having a
fine calm, we made the traverse and camped at the [Big]
island. A terrible storm during the night.

Aug: ^th. This morning early embarked ; wind aft; came
to the Rocher Rouge, where we found a number of Indians

beyond the entrance of Rainy r. into that lake. The best Canadian map before
me (Dept. Interior, 1894) marks Rapid r., Reaudet r. , and Winter Road r.
with a place called Rapid River opp. the mouth of the first named, in On-
tario. Thompson, 1797, carefully notes four streams on his left (Minnesota
side) between the Long Sault and Lake of the Woods. He further makes
it N. 13° W. i^ m. below the last one of these streams to certain establish-
ments which appear to have been in the vicinity of present Fort Louise (Paskon-
kin and Bishop Indian reserves, near the entrance of the lake). He speaks of
these posts as being together, and as the houses of Mr. Mcintosh and Mr.
McKay, the latter " from Albany," i. e., of the H. B. Co. This may give a clew
to the second one of the establishments of which Henry speaks. Keating's
Long, 1824, notes a certain Pine r. , on the N. , 30 yards wide, between Rapid
r. and Black r.

^^ Henry enters Lake of the Woods on its extreme S., at the inlet of Rainy
r., and will pass N. to the outlet or main discharge of the lake into Winnipeg
r., near Rat portage. The air-line distance between these two points is about
70 m.; but the actual route is considerably more, as it winds among islands
which stud the whole collection of waters once and long known as Lake of
the Woods, now belonging in part to ISIinnesota, but in greater part to Ontario.
Henry starts on a course coincident with the present international line through
the lake, but quits it before he has gone halfway to Rat portage. These simple
statements might furnish a text for a disquisition on the Lake of the Woods
as the most celebrated thing of the kind in our political history, having occa-
sioned more diplomatic and geodetic literature than any other waters of no
greater extent. The reader who wishes to inform himself fully on the history
and final settlement of the boundary question, which was in dispute for so many
years, will of course refer to the official publications of one or both governments.
The conclusion of the matter, on our part, will be found in the Department of
State Report on the Survey of the Boundary, etc., from the Lake of the Woods,
etc., authorized by A. of C, 19 Mar., 1872, pub. by A. of C, 3 Mar., 1877, form-
ing a stout 4to, Washington, Gov't Pr. Off., 1878 : see esp. pp. 23, 53, 79, 303,
etc., with map opp. p. 83. Here, of course, I can but point to some of the more
salient features of the case. Lake of the Woods is the term which translates the
F. phrase, Lac des Bois (or de Bois or du Bois), a name current since the first
half of the l8th century, if not even earlier, and also rendered Wood 1. or
Woody 1. Lac des Sioux is another French name, appearing at least as early as
1 719, but lapsing after a precarious struggle for existence. Lac des Isles is a
third term, for example in La France, 1740, long alternative to Lac des Bois ;

THE LAKE OF THE WOODS. 23

who had made canoes and were all intoxicated with liquor
received for them. Some days ago they were much inclined
to be insolent, and talked about firing upon us. However,
we purchased a few fish and dried hurtleberries, and pro-
ceeded on our journey without molestation. We had left
them but a short time when a sturgeon almost jumped into

thus we find the elder Henry saying Lake des Isles, with reference to July 30th,
1775) ^t p. 242 of his book, pub. i8og. The expression, Sakahigan Pekwaonga
or Lake of the Island of Sand Mounds, occurs in Keating's Long, 1824 ; and
Lake of the Sand Hills is a current designation of that main body of water which
now represents a part of the whole Lake of the Woods of Henry's time. Min-
nititi, Mininittee, Minitie, etc., are forms of an Indian name to be found in
French and English print. The historical Lake of the Woods is really a cluster
of four lakes, or a main (southern) lake with three principal bays or offsets, on
the N. E., N., and N. W., respectively ; these three being now separately
designated Whitefish bay (or 1.), Clearwater 1., and Lac Plat (or Shoal
1.), when the name Lake of the Woods is restricted to the said main body.
A multitude of lesser arms, offsets, or collections of water are also now named.
The part known as Clearwater 1. is on the old route from Rainy r. to Rat por-
tage ; Whitefish bay and Lac Plat lie entirely off the route, to the right and left
respectively. The main body of water (to which we will now restrict attention)
is well marked off from the rest by a great projection of land on the E. , known
as The Peninsula, leaving but a narrow waterway northward, further occluded by
clusters of islands, large and small. This is the body which acquired the dis-
tinctive official designation of Lake of the Woods by the Treaty of Ghent, Dec.
24th, 1814, which adjusted various matters growing out of the War of 1812, and,
among these, some boundary disputes. The thus restricted Lake of the Woods
extends irregularly E., S. of The Peninsula, into Sebascong bay and other pro-
jections, not even yet very accurately known or mapped ; and on this side of
the lake is also the mouth of Big Grassy r., in Ontario. On the S. is the principal
affluent. Rainy r. , as we have already seen, separating the United States from
Canada (Minnesota from Ontario). On the S. E. War Road r. empties, in
Minnesota, and in a sort of bay marked on the N. by a projection now called
Buffalo pt. This is an important point, almost exactly on the parallel of 49**
N., and therefore as nearly on the line between Minnesota and Manitoba (for
reasons which will presently appear) : it is occupied by the Canadian Indian
reserves called Ayashawash and Powawassan ; it is also historically interesting
as the site of the old French post built by Verendrye in 1732, named Fort St.
Charles in honor of Charles de Beauharnois, governor of Canada, and abandoned
before 1763 ; it is the establishment frequently heard of in early annals either by
this name, or as the " old French post" on the W. side of the lake ; e. g., the
elder Henry, writing of 1775, speaks of it thus, and adds that it had been fre-
quented by numerous bands of Chippeways, already almost entirely destroyed by
the Nadowessies (Sioux). N. of Buffalo pt. is the mouth of Reed r., a small

24 THE LAKE OF THE WOODS.

my canoe ; his head struck the gunnel near one of the men
who, instead of taking hold of him, gave a scream, and the
fish fell into the water again. The wind came on so strong
as to oblige us to put ashore, where we passed the rest of
the day in drying our goods at L'Anse de Sable.

Aug. 6th. The wind continued to blow a gale all day,

stream from the W., of no very great consequence. Still further N. on the W.
side, is the opening of the celebrated " Northwest Angle of the Lake of the
Woods," in which interest centers ; for at the head of this long narrow bay is
the " Northwest Point of the Northwest Angle," which has made so much
political and geographical history. The trouble began early, for the usual rea-
son, viz.: the attempt to fix on paper the location of something whose actual
geographical position was unknown. Thus, we find Sir A. McKenzie saying
of the Lake of the Woods, p. Iviii : " This lake is also rendered remarkable, in
consequence of the Americans having named it as the spot, from which a line of
boundary, between them and British America, was to run West, until it struck the
Mississippi ; which, however, can never happen, as the North-West part of the
Lake du Bois, is in latitude 49. 37. North," etc. The geographical impossibilities
or difficulties involved in any such early and crude aspects of the case as those
presented in the treaties of Sept. 3d, 1783, and Nov. 19th, 1794, of course required
to be eliminated ; and the requisite adjustment was attempted to be provided
for by the Seventh Article of the Treaty of Ghent, already mentioned. The
second article of the London convention between the United States and Great
Britain, of Oct. 20th, 1818. is as follows : " It is agreed that a line drawn from the
most northwestern point of the Lake of the Woods, along the forty-ninth parallel
of north latitude, or, if the said point shall not be in the forty-ninth parallel of
north latitude, then that a line drawn due north or south as the case may be,
until the said line shall intersect the said parallel of north latitude, and from the
point of such intersection due west along aad with such parallel, shall be the line
of demarkation between the territories of the United States and His Britannic
Majesty . . . from the Lake of the Woods to the Stony Mountains." This
is perfectly clear, and remains in force now ; the only question was, to deter-
mine on the ground the geographical positions thus provided for. The
declaration of the joint commissioners appointed to carry into effect the
provisions of the Seventh Article of the Treaty of Ghent includes the fol-
lowing : "Section 19. Resolved, that the following described line . . .
is, in the opinion of the commissioners, so far as the same extends, the
true Boundary intended by the before mentioned treaties : — Namely,
thence through the middle of the waters bf this Bay to the Northwest
extremity of the same, being the most Northwestern point of the Lake
of the Woods, and from a monument erected in this Bay, on the nearest
firm ground to the Northwest extremity of said Bay, the courses and distances
are as follows : viz, ist. N. 56° W. 1565^ feet. 2d. N. 6° W. 86i>^ feet.
3d. N, 28? W. 615.4 feet. 4th. N. 270 10' W. 495.4 feet. Sth. N. 5° 10' E.

THE LAKE OF THE WOODS. 25

which kept us in our quarters. I caught one of our men
steahng flour out of a bag, and another stealing sugar ; these
two rascals had formed a scheme to feast their women.

Aug: yth. Before daybreak the wind fell, when we em-
barked, and finding the water high passed the little Portage

12,2.214. feet. 6th. N, 7° W. 493 feet. The variation being 12° East. The
termination of this 6th or last course and distance being the above said most
Northwestern Point of the Lake of the Woods, as designated by the 7th Article
of the Treaty of Ghent, and being in Latitude Forty-nine degrees, twenty-three
minutes and fifty-five seconds North of the Equator, and in Longitude Ninety-
five degrees, fourteen minutes and thirty-eight seconds West from the Observa-
tory at Greenwich." From the point thus determined, marked, and established
the boundary of course dropped on the meridian indicated to the parallel of 49°
N. ; it was so agreed upon and defined in the treaty of Nov. loth, 1842 ; and such
remained the accepted line until it was resurveyed of late years, with the result
of some slight alteration of the determinations which had been made by I. L.
Tiarks and David Thompson, 1824-25. In April, 1870, it was found that the
line of the 49th parallel was not exactly where it had been supposed to be in
crossing the Red River of the North in the vicinity of Pembina, where a mili-
tary post was to be established. The President called attention to this in his
message to Congress of Dec. 20th, 1870, and submitted that the whole boundary
line from the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains should be surveyed
and marked. This led to the Act of Congress of Mar. 19th, 1872, authorizing the
President, by and with the advice of the Senate, to co-operate with the govern-
ment of Great Britain in the appointment of a joint commission for the desired
purpose, and providing for such a commission on the part of the United States,
which was soon organized by the appointment of Archibald Campbell, Esq., as
commissioner, and the detail of the following engineer officers for the required
geodetic and topographical work: Capt. F. U. Farquhar (d. July 3d, 1883),
Capt. W. J. Twining (d-. May 5th, 1882) ; Lieut. J. F. Gregory ; Lieut. F. V.
Greene ; other officers being subsequently detailed in various capacities,
myself among the number. One of the first pieces of field work required was
the discovery and identification of the old monument at the Northwest Angle,
and the re-establishment of this point by new geodetic observations. The party
reached the Angle Oct. 9th, 1872, and were there associated with Capt. S. Ander-
son, R. E., Chief Astronomer of the British Commission with whom they were
to co-operate, and other English officers. The monument sought was a wooden
post in a crib-work of logs, erected in Oct., 1824 ; it was gone, but what was
supposed to be its exact site was recovered. The Northwest pt. was finally
determined to be at lat. 49'' 23' 50.28" N., long. 95" 08' 56.7" W. ; and the
position thus agreed on by Capt. Anderson and Maj. Farquhar was accepted by
the commissioners on the part of both governments, in Sept., 1874. The pro-
tocol concerning the whole boundary, of course including the points here in
special mention, was signed in London, May 29th, 1876, thus concluding the

26 LAKE OF THE WOODS— RAT PORTAGE.

du Lac des Bois under full sail. This was looked upon as
extraordinary ; we commonly carry our canoes and baggage
at this place upward of half a mile, and sometimes a full
mile, according to the state of the water. We now had
a fine breeze aft, which in a few hours took us to the end of
the lake, at Portage du Rat," which is about 150 paces over.
Here we found Indians making canoes for sale and trading
sturgeon and dried berries for liquor. We embarked and

labors of the joint commission. The Northwest pt. of the Northwest Angle
of the Lake of the Woods, and vicinity, is shown on a scale of six inches to the
mile on the map facing p. 83 of the U. S. Northern Boundary Report
already cited. It is a swampy spot, where Minnesota, Manitoba, and Ontario
meet, about if m. from the dock (McPherson's, H. B. Co.) to which the Daw-
son road extends from Winnipeg on Red r. ; another road comes to this place
from Whitemouth 1., Manitoba, on the S. W. ; the Powawassan and Nootinaqua-
ham Indian reserves are contiguous or adjacent, in Ontario. The boundary line
which drops due S. from the N. W. pt. on the meridian of 95'' 08' 56.7" cuts
of? from Canada about 150 sq. m. of U. S. mainland, the same constituting
a detached fragment of Minnesota ; for this meridian strikes the parallel of 49*
N. in the lake, E. of the Buffalo pt. already named, and thus also the extreme
S. E. corner of Manitoba is in the water ; what would otherwise be a right angle
being nicked off to the extent of about two townships. Most of the interna-
tional water-boundary, however, is of course along the line from the mouth of
Rainy r. to the entrance of the Northwest Angle ; it starts N. between Oak pt.
and Massacre isl., leaves Big isl. on the E. and Garden or Cornfield isl. on the
W., and so on. Thus it happens that, after more than a century of dispute,
arbitration, and survey, two nations have in and about the Lake-of the Woods
that politico-geographical curiosity of a boundary that a glance at the map
will show, that no one could have foreseen, and that would be inexplicable with-
out some knowledge of the steps in the process by which it was brought about.
Either nation could better have afforded to let the boundary run around the S.
shore of the lake from the mouth of Rainy r. to the point where the shore is
intersected by the parallel of 49°.

'9 Rat portage is occasioned by a rock a few yards long. The name is said to
have originated in the habit of muskrats of crossing here in great numbers. The
location is a very well-known one, near the extreme N. or foot of Lake of the
Woods. Here the main line of the Canadian Pacific now crosses from the town
of Rat Portage to a place opposite called Keewatin, and between these two is
the outlet of the lake into Winnipeg r. Henry gives us so few names that his
intricate traverse of the lake is not easily traced in detail. Thompson names in
succession Cormorant pt., the Red Stone (Henry's Rocher Rouge), Wood
portage (Henry's Portage du Lac des Bois?), Burnt Wood isl.. Grand " Galley "
(Galet), and then Rat portage.

WINNIPEG RIVER— DALLES AND PORTAGES. 2/

began to descend the River Winipic ; '" the water was very
high and rapid, and rather dangerous. At sunset we
camped at the Dalles.

Au£-. 8tJi. We embarked and proceeded to the Grande
D^charge, where we carried about 300 paces. We- then
passed to Portage de la Terre Jaune, about 200 paces ;
then a short distance to Petit Rocher, a portage of about
60 paces ; thence to Portage de la Terre Blanche, about 400
paces ; then to the Cave, which is about 50 paces, at times
not so much." In leaving this portage my canoe ran on a

2" This word is given as Cree Wi-nipi, or W^in-nepe, meaning turbid water.
In Canadian geography it has settled in the form Winnipeg, after long fluctua-
tion in many different shapes, from such as the early F. Ounipigon, through
Winnipegon, Winepegon, with loss of final syllable, final g, k, c, or ck, one n
or two, and all the vowels either e or i. A list of forms tabulated by C. N.
Bell, in Trans. Manitoba Hist, and Sci. Soc, Jan. 22d, 1885, p. 3, includes
Ouinipigon, Verendrye, 1734 ; Ouinipique, Dobbs, 1742 ; Vnipignon, Gallis-
soniere, 1750 ; Ouinipeg, Bougainville, 1757 ; Ouinipique, on a F. map of 1776 ;
Winnepeck, Carver. 1768 ; Winipegon, Henry, 1775 ; Winipic, McKenzie,
1789 ; Winipick, Harmon, 1800 ; Winepic, Ross Cox, 1817 ; Winnipic, School-
craft, 1820 ; Winnepeek, Keating, 1823 ; Winipeg, Beltrami, 1823 ; Winni-
peg, Back, 1833. I have verified most of these, and have no doubt that others
could be found. Among other names of the river or some part of it may be noted
Riviere Maurepas of Verendrye, 1734 : White r. of Sir A. McKenzie and of
Harmon, after Riviere Blanche of the French ; and Sea r. of Thompson, 1796,
whence " Lee " r. of some late maps : see also Pinawa, beyond. It extends in
a general W. N. W. direction, but with a very tortuous course aside from its
minor reciprocal bends, from the N. end of Clearwater 1. (a part of the old Lake
of the Woods, as we have seen) to Traverse bay in the S. E. part of Lake Win-
nipeg ; its total length is said to be about 200 m. It is one of the great water-
ways, used as a canoe route since the first penetration of the whites into this
region, though the rapidity and turbulence of the stream, and the many obstruc-
tions in its course in spite of its great average width and depth, render naviga-
tion both difficult and dangerous. An upper portion of the river is confined
for some miles to a width of about 40 yards between perpendicular granitic
cliffs ; these are the Dalles : for the explanation of which term, see Lewis and
Clark, ed. 1893, p. 954. Henry's camp there was probably about 8 m. down
river from Rat portage.

2^ The five places Henry names are easily collated with those given in
Thompson's MS.; in McKenzie, p. lix ; and in Keating's Long, II. p. 145.
I. The Grand Discharge or Grande Decharge is named alike by all ; it is a
place over 20 m. down river, where canoes may usually shoot the rapids, empty
or partly laden, with good carriage on the left, about 200 yards. Below this,

28 ISLAND HOUSE — ENGLISH RIVER — ISLAND PORTAGE.

rock and broke in her bow as far as the second bar. We put
ashore and repaired, which affair detained us sometime, and
it was late before we came down to the establishment of
Portage de I'lsle.^'^ Here we found a clerk and two men
who had passed the summer at this place ; with them also
were a few Indians, who plagued me for liquor.

Au£;. gtJi. At daybreak we embarked, giving the Indians
each a dram. We were troubled by a thick fog, which
caused us to lose much time in going round the bays. We
at last got astray and were obliged to wait until the weather
cleared up about ten o'clock, when we proceeded to Portage
de risle,^^ about 50 paces over. One of my canoes, to avoid

a mile or more, are some rapids which Thompson mentions without name, which
McKenzie calls little Decharge, and which neither Keating nor Henry notices.
3. Terre Jaune or Yellow Earth portage is noted by Thompson as a carrying-
place, without name ; by the other three under its F. name. This is 2 m. or
more below the rapids last said. 3. A small fraction of a mile below Terre
Jaune comes what Thompson notes as " another carrying-place" of 40 yards, on
the left, around a rock ; what McKenzie terms (with reference to Terre Jaune)
" its galet 70 yards" ; what Henry calls Petit Rocher ; and what Keating gives
more fully as Decharge du Petit Rocher de Charette. 4. Two m. or more
below this Little Rock or Charette portage comes what Thompson calls White
Earth portage, translating the F. phrase which all three other authors use.
5. Henry's " Cave" is at or near a place which Thompson calls Flat Rocks ;
which McKenzie does not notice ; but which Keating gives in due form as
Decharge de la Cave.

*^ Distinguish this N. \V. Co. post from the portage of the same name.
Portage de ITsle House was above the mouth of English r. ; Portage de ITsle
was below this confluence. The house stood on the right bank of Winnipeg r. ,
at a point given by McKenzie as 3^ m. below Terre Blanche or White Earth
portage. In approaching this house, Aug. 27th, 1797, Thompson speaks of
" the very old French Fort," the site of which he passed, but the name of
which he does not give ; and a short distance below this he came to " the house
of Mons. Frederique," concerning which he remarks pointedly : " Mr. Wm.
McKay this day again establishes that post and leaves Frederique in charge."
This is the very "establishment of Portage de ITsle" which Henry has now
reached.

^^ Below the mouth of English r. , where Henry got astray in the fog, and
fails to notice this important confluence. None of the maps or itineraries
before me enable me to speak with confidence of distances hereabouts ;
McKenzie seems to make this portage 4 m. below the mouth of English r,
Thompson notes a " wide opening on the right," which he says is " the river

FATAL ISLAND PORTAGE WRECK.

the trouble of making this portage, passed down near the
N. shore with a full load. As my own canoe was soon over
the portage, we loaded and embarked, and on pushing from
shore I perceived the canoe on the N. side coming off to
sault [shoot] the rapids. She had not gone many yards
when, by some mismanagement of the foreman, the current
bore down her bow full upon the shore, against a rock, upon
which the fellow, taking the advantage of his situation,
jumped, whilst the current whirled the canoe around. The
steersman, finding himself within reach of the shore, jumped
upon the rock with one of the midmen ; the other midman,
not being sufificiently active, remained in the canoe, which
was instantly carried out and lost to view amongst the high
waves. At length she appeared and stood perpendicular for
a moment, when she sank down again, and I then perceived
the man riding upon a bale of dry goods in the midst of the
waves. We made every exertion to get near him, and did
not cease calling out to him to take courage and not let go
his hold ; but alas ! he sank under a heavy swell, and when
the bale arose the man appeared no more. At this time
we were only a few yards from him ; but while we were
eagerly looking out for him, poor fellow ! the whirlpool
caught my canoe, and before we could get away she was
half full of water. We then made all haste to get ashore,
unload, and go in search of the property. The canoe we
found flat upon the water, broken in many places. However,
we hauled her ashore, and afterward collected as many
pieces as we could find. The men had landed a few pack-
ages above the rapid, otherwise our loss would have been
still greater. The loss amounted to five bales merchandise,

down which the English come from H. B."; i. e., English r., which forms apart
of the usual route from Hudson's bay. The confluence is now the site of the
Laird Indian reserve. English r. has always been an important waterway ;
this and Albany r. and their connections on the Height of Land form the present
northern boundary of the Province of Ontario between Manitoba and Hudson's
bay ; so that, soon after passing the confluence of English r. with Winnipeg r.,
on crossing the same meridian (95° 08' 56.7" W.) which is discussed in note ^^
Henry passes from Ontario into Manitoba.

30 GRAND GALET — JAMES FALLS — WOOD PORTAGES.

two bales new tobacco, one bale canal tobacco, one bale ket-
tles, one bale balls, one bale shot, one case guns. I was
surprised that a keg of sugar drifted down about half a mile
below the rapid, as its weight was 8/ lbs.; it proved to be
but little damaged. The kegs of gunpowder also floated a
great distance, and did not leak. Whilst we were very
busily employed repairing damages, by patching and mend-
ing the canoe and drying the property, a few Indians came
to us. I employed them to search for the goods, but they
could find none. They appeared insolent, and troubled me
a long time for liquor, but we gave them none. This
evening we had a terrible storm, with thunder, lightning,
and rain.

Sunday, Aug. loth. This morning we made another
attempt to recover our packages, but our labor was in vain.
Although, at the place where the canoe upset, the water
was not more than six feet deep, the current was so swift
that everything must have been swept below the falls. At
4 p. m. we were ready, having patched our broken canoe as
best we could, and soon came to where the Indians were
camped, on a small island. Gave them some liquor for
dressed skins, and proceeded to Grand Galet," where we
put up for the night.

Aug. nth. At daybreak we loaded and embarked ; our
broken canoe was very leaky. Came down to Chute a
Jacques portage, of about 150 paces; thence it is but a
few miles to Grande Pointe des Bois, a portage of about 400
paces ; thence it is but a few yards to Petite Pointe des
Bois portage, which is about 150 paces over. Here we
overtook 24 canoes bound for different parts. Everyone

2* This was a usual camping-place between Portage de I'lsle and the falls
about to be mentioned. Galet means some sort of rock, and the distinction in
voyageurs' usage between galet, roche or rocher, and pierre, is not always clear.
But galet generally seems to indicate large smooth rock in mass, as distinguished
both from large broken or sharp rocks and from small stones ; a galet is what
we should call a bowlder ; and I find Grand Galet sometimes formally translated
Big Bowlder, as a place-name. The word is sometimes miswritten galle, pi.
galles ; and Thompson's MS, has galley in some places.

DOWN THE WINNIPEG TO THE PINAWA. 31

was anxious to get ahead and show his activity, as is gen-
erally the case in the N. W. This produced a scene of
bustle and confusion, which cannot be conceived by one
who has not been an eye-witness of the great exertion of
which the Northmen are capable. We proceeded to Petit
Rocher Brule, a portage of about 150 paces. My canoe
was the first in the water here. We passed on to Chute a
I'Esclave, where we made a portage of about 2,000 paces.
We came down to the Barrier, a portage of about 100
paces, on the island ; and thence to the Grand Rapid,
where, the water being apropos, we saulted, though there is
commonly made here a portage of about 15 paces. A little
below this rapid we camped at the entrance of Pennawa
river.""

Aug. I2th. Loaded early and embarked. Came to- the
Petites Dalles ; unloaded half, and carried about 50 paces.
We then proceeded to the first or Petit Portage de la

2* We may conveniently note the above-mentioned places in the order in which
they occur, finishing with the Pinawa : i. Chute a Jacques, otherwise known
as Jacob's falls, Jack's falls, and James' portage, is supposed to be 26 m. below
Portage de I'lsle ; the descent of water is about 11 ft., and the carriage is
on the left, over bare rocks, for some 80 yards. 2. Hence it is 5 or 6 m.
to Grande Pointe des Bois, or Big Woody Point portage, where there is a
sloping descent of water of about 6 ft.; carriage 190 yards, in a bay. 3.
Little Woody Point portage almost immediately succeeds ; here the descent is
about 14 ft., the carriage 100 yards. 4. What Henry calls Petit Rocher Brule,
Little Burnt Rock, is one of the several galets which occur on the route, some-
times rendered simply Rocky portage ; it is only a mile or so below the
last; descent 7 ft.; carry 80 yards over rocks on the right. 5. Chute a I'Es-
clave, Slave falls, 2 m. below the last galet, occasions a portage of 500 yards on
the right ; the fall is about 150 yards wide, with a sloping descent of 15 ft.
The aboriginal name is rendered Awakane Pawetik by Keating, II. p. 98, and
said to have arisen in a local tradition. Keating figures Slave falls, pi. 9, and
also Petite Pointe des Bois falls, pi. 10 ; the latter is called " Upper Falls of
the Winnepeck," p. 100. 6. The Barrier next obstructs navigation, 5 or 6 m.
below Slave falls ; regarding the length of carriage here, we have widely dis-
crepant statements, and I infer that the requisite portage may vary with the
state of the water or other conditions. 7. The Grand Rapid, about 10 m.
further, is a place which may be shot or must be in part portaged, according
to circumstances ; on finishing which, the distance is about a mile to the head
of the Pinawa.

32 DOWN "WHITE RIVER" TO BONNET LAKE.

Riviere Blanche, which is about 2CX) paces ; then a short
distance to the second Portage de la Riviere Blanche,
which is about 60 paces over ; to the Grand Galet, a por-
tage about 150 paces; thence to the middle Portage de la
Riviere Blanche, which is about 50 paces over ; thence to
the Decharge a Bas Rond, which is not more than 20
paces ; thence to the Petit Rocher de la Riviere Blanche,
which is about lOO paces over ; thence to the steep rock on
last Portage de la Riviere Blanche, which is about 60
paces. We then embarked, saulted the Decharge, and came
down the rapids to Lac du Bonnet ; '^ which having crossed

36 The course down the main river (Riviere Blanche, or White r.) to Bonnet 1.
presents a succession of falls and rapids, requiring portages or discharges.
These are commonly given as eight in number : so the elder Henry, 1775, who
speaks of the shallow stream, whose bed is rocky and broken. McKenzie, p. Ix,
says " seven portages, in so short a space, that the whole of them are dis-
cernible at the same moment." Thompson's MS., Aug. 29th and 30th, 1797,
describes with some particularity eight portages, besides several discharges
where he unloaded and handed down the canoe ; but he has no names for any
of them. Nor have I any modern names with which to identify the nine
which occur in our text in French form, though most, if not all, of them might
be checked by Thompson, in spite of some decided discrepancies in their several
lengths as stated. Keating, II. p. 145, enumerates 11 to Henry's 9; but
the difference in number simply results from his making two of Henry's Petites
Dalles, and two of Henry's Grand Galet. Keating's names are all in French,
and the same as Henry's, or quite similar, except that he has Portage du
Cantara for Henry's second Portage de la Riviere Blanche, and Portage de
I'Agace for Henry's ]Middle Portage de la Riviere Blanche. The map in Grant's
From Ocean to Ocean, p. 49, marks " the 7 portages" which are so close to-
gether, just above the elbow or turn of the river.

I have reviewed with care the whole question of the several names applied to
this section of the river, where it has a double course, and find nothing to
invalidate the position I take, briefly this : (i) The main course, which was also
the regular or most usual canoe route, and the one down which Henry went, is
R. Blanche or White r., so called from its foaming waters ; this name being
extended thence to Lake Winnipeg by some authors, following McKenzie's
map ; and Sea r. being another name of the same, for the same reason.
(2) The Pinawa, Penawa, Pennawa, Pinawac, or Pinnawas, is the collateral
channel, of which Covert r. is a synonym.

Lac du Bonnet or Bonnet 1. is said by McKenzie to have derived its name
from an Indian custom of making circles of stones, crowned with wreaths, on
top of the rocks at the portage. The phrase appears as Lac de Bonne in

SUCCESSIVE BONNET PORTAGES. 33

we camped at L'Anse de Sable, where we found a few
Indians.

Au£;: ijtJi. As soon as day appeared, we embarked and
came to Petit Rocherdu Lac du Bonnet, a portage of about
40 paces ; thence to Petit Rocher du Bonnet, which portage
is about 200 paces over ; thence to Portage du Bonnet,
which is almost two miles long." Having got all over, we
loaded and proceeded to Galet du Bonnet, which is about

Harmon, by error ; it is also often translated Cap 1. , and this term is found as
Cat 1., by misprint. This water is simply an expansion of the main stream
which receives the Pinawa again, after the latter has flowed in a separate course
from that of the Winnipeg proper for a distance of about 18 m. The
great island thus inclosed is of irregularly oblong figure, with a length just
indicated, and an average breadth of perhaps 10 m. The long diameter is N.
andS. , with the Pinawa on the E., the Winnipeg on the S. and W., and
Bonnet 1. on the N. The expanse of water is mainly in Tp. 16 of ranges xi
and xii, E. of the principal meridian. The lake receives at its E. end a large
feeder from the N. E. This is Bird r., flowing through Bird, Snowshoe, and
other lakes ; its F. name was R. Oiseau, easily mistaken for " Roseau" by a care-
less engraver, whence " R. Roseau " on one of the maps before me ; another
map letters " R. L'Oisseur." The kind of bird for which the stream was
named seems to have been the eagle, to judge from the fact that Eagle r.
appears as its name on some maps. I suspect that McKenzie's explanation of
" Bonnet " as the name of the lake is fictitious ; that the " bonnet " in question
implies an Indian's head-dress of eagle's plumes ; and that, further, the name
Pinawa will be found to have the same implication ; but I am unable to show
that my suspicion is well founded. A much smaller feeder which Bonnet 1.
also receives near its E. end is Rat r., from a lake of the same name. The
main course of Winnipeg r. between the separation of the Pinawa and the ex-
pansion of Bonnet 1. receives Whitemouth r. This is a large tributary, which
arises in and near Whitemouth 1., in the S. E. part of Provencher district of
Manitoba, and flows little W. of N. into Winnipeg r. in Tp. 13, R. xi, E. of the
princ. merid. This river is crossed by the Dawson road (note **, p. 26) ; and also
by the C. P. Ry. at Whitemouth sta.

^^ There is little conformity in records of the time in the nomenclature of
these several "Bonnet" portages, and the same may be said of the other
obstructions to navigation of whicli the above paragraph speaks. Henry's list
of names for the 13th, like that for the 12th, is the most particular one I
have seen, in print or in manuscript. His two first Petit Rocher portages are
the two galets of the same names which McKenzie gives as i^ m. apart, and
the two named Portages du Rocher du Bonnet d'en haut of Keating's list. The
main Bonnet portage, " almost two miles long," is given by Thompson as only
1,022 yards, by Keating as 1,760 yards, by McKenzie as " near half a league

34 PORTAGES FINISHING WINNIPEG RIVER.

150 paces; thence to Portage de la Terre Blanche, about 400
paces long ; thence to Portage des Chenes, which is about
200 paces. Hence it is but a few yards to the first Eaux
qui Remuent portage, of about 400 paces, on making which
we proceeded to the Decharge de L'Islette ; both of these
we saulted, although we commonly carry at those places.
We then came to the last Eaux qui Remuent, about 400
paces over. Loaded, embarked, and came down the last
Decharge of Winipic river, where also at times we are
obliged to carry, according to the state of the. water.
Camped this evening at Galet de la Pointe aux Loutres,
where formerly the storehouse for provisions stood.^^ Here
we found two men fishing with hook and line.

long " and 3 m. below the last. To this, " another small portage immediately
succeeds," says McKenzie ; this is Henry's Galet du Bonnet, which Keating
omits. All the authors agree on Portage de la Terre Blanche, otherwise White
Earth portage, which is about 2}^ m. below the last-named galet. Portage des
Chenes, Oak portage, does not appear in McKenzie, who enumerates three
Eaux qui Remuent portages, his first of which is apparently Oak portage, close
to his second one, his third being 3^ m. below ; the phrase means " waters
which move," i. e., troubled waters — in a word, breakers. Keating gives
(i) Portage des Chenes ; (2) Portage des Grandes Eaux qui remuent ; (3) De-
charge du defunt Minet — a name I have not seen elsewhere. Keating's next
is his Decharge de ITUet, apparently the same as Henry's Decharge de L'Islette.
Henry's last Eaux qui Remuent seem to be Keating's last Portage des Eaux
mouvantes. Neither McKenzie nor Keating has a name for either of the two
other places Henry names. The course of Winnipeg r. from Bonnet 1.
to Lake Winnipeg is N. W. (independently of its minor bends), through
Tps. 16, 1.7, R. xi, the corner of Tp. 17, R. x, Tp. 18, R. x, E. of the
princ. merid., on the W. border of which last tp. it enters the present Indian
reserve, through which it runs to its debouchment in Traverse bay of Lake
Winnipeg. In this course two of the principal obstructions are those now
called Silver falls and Manitou rapids, both in the tp. last said. The river
receives some small tributaries along here, among them IMaskwa r., which
enters on the right between the falls and the rapids named. The Indian
reserve (Kakepenais) occupies portions of three contiguous tps. about the
mouth of the river ; and here is the situation of establishments which date
back to 1734.

"® Otter Point Rock is thus designated as the site of a N. W. Co. establish-
ment which was "old" in 1800, and is to be carefully distinguished from the
post of the same company in operation at that date, as well as from several
others to be presently mentioned. Thompson's MS. of Sept. ist, 1797, speaks

FORT AU BAS DE LA RIVIERE. 35

Aug. i/f-th. This morning I waited for my canoes, which
arrived at ten o'clock; when we loaded, embarked, and in
a short time arrived at the fort or establishment of Bas
de la Riviere Winipic,^' the general depot for provisions
which are brought from Red and Assiniboine rivers
every spring in long boats. These carry from lOO to 250
bags of provisions, of 90 pounds each.

Here we unloaded our canoes, and sent a party of men
over the river to the little fort for boats. At twelve

of passing ' ' the old house on the left " as he came down river, and then keep-
ing on a mile or so to the occupied post of his company. The situation was
thus approx. that of Fort Alexander, being about 4 m. above the mouth of the
river, and across it from the site of Fort Maurepas : see next note.

^* " Bas de la Riviere " has been notable in the annals of the fur-trade for
more than a century and a half. It was naturally a key position, on one of the
greatest waterways — the entrance of Winnipeg r. into Traverse bay of Lake
Winnipeg. It was only thrown out of the main line of travel when the
Canadian Pacific Ry. went through, further S., and Fort Alexander is still
maintained as a post of the H. B. Co., though no considerable settlement ha?
ever sprung up on the historic spot. The record of occupancy by the whites
goes back to 1734, when Verendrye built Fort Maurepas on the right bank of
the river near its mouth ; and named it, as he also had named the whole river,
in honor of Jean Frederic Phelippeaux, Comte de Maurepas, minister under
Louis XV. and Louis XVI., b. July gth, 1701, d. Nov. 21st, 1781, and in
trouble with the Pompadour about 1749. Verendrye himself was at his post
again Sept. 22d, 173S ; he calls it Fort Marpas, and says that he left in charge
M. de la Riviere and nine men : Rep. Canad. Arch., 1890, p. 7. When the
elder Henry came by, in Aug., 1775, the place was occupied by a large Cree
village, but nothing is said of any trading-house. In 1792 the site of Fort
Alexander was occupied by Toussaint Le Sieur, and we hear about this time
of "the Sieur's Fort," as it was once called : e. g., in J. McDonnell's journal
of May 27th, 1793, in Masson, I. 1886, p. 291. This Le Sieur was in charge
at Fort Alexander in 1794 ; he is probably the same as one Le Sieur who
was in partnership with Simon Eraser in 1789 ; and we shall hear again of
Toussaint Le Sieur, as a clerk of the N. W. Co., in Henry's text. The
N. W. Co. house which Henry has reached was within some rods of Fort
Alexander, on the S. or left bank of the river. Thompson's MSS. of 1796
and later, speak of it as the Winnipeg House, avoiding the rather awkward
F. phrase which was then most current — Fort au Bas de la Riviere
was its usual form, as much as to say ' ' Down river " fort, by a sort of
adverbial construction. Harmon, who passed Bas de la Riviere two weeks
before Henry did, in 1800, says that the N. W. Co. and the H. B. Co.
"have each a fort," p. 46.

36 DIFFERENT DOWN-RIVER POSTS.

o'clock they returned with two, the others having been
burned last spring for the purpose of collecting the nails
to make new ones the ensuing season. This day we passed
in repairing the boats and canoes, making setting-poles,
and examining the different baggages ; found small pack-
ages much damaged, and kegs of wine not more than half
full, having been cracked by falling upon the rocks and
the liquor leaked out. The Canadians are certainly smart,
active men as voyageurs, but very careless of property
committed to their charge.

The H. B. Co. have an establishment at this place near
the N, W. Co. They have a clerk and two men who pass
the summer here, but talk about throwing it up this fall,
as a post will not pay expenses. Their object in settling
was to make packages, but, from the scarcity of beavers,
they have been disappointed ; and have no occasion for a
depot of provisions, as they bring their fall stock from
Martin's falls.

A7(g: ij//i. Fine clear weather; dried our bales and
other articles ; repaired boat and canoes. I also arranged
the men and their loadings, taking from each canoe one
man and five packages to put on board the boat ; gave
each craft a bag of provisions, with grease, gum, bark, and
wattap." At 3 p. m. they were ready, when I sent them
off down to the entrance of the lake."'

'"' Of these articles, the grease was a part of the provisions. The gum was the
resinous substance of spruce or other conifers, as prepared for stopping leaks in
canoes by a process like calking. The bark was that of the birch, of which the
canoes were themselves made, in pieces to be used for patching broken or weak-
ened places. Wattap was the fine fibrous roots of spruce or fir, used for lacing
the canoes : see Pike, ed. i8g5, p. loi. We also see from the above para-
graph a distinction drawn between the large " boat" and the ordinary canoe.

*' Mouth of Winnipeg r., at the head of Traverse bay, an arm of Lake Win-
nipeg. The Point de Sable, which Henry next mentions, was on the S. side,
marking the outlet of the river. Thompson says that he went N. lo" W. J/^m.,
N. 28° W. 2^ m., and N. 28° W. )4 m., from the N. W. Co. House to this
Point of Sand, and that the river was there ^ m. wide. Traverse bay is marked
off on the N. by present Point Metasse, about 6 m. N. N. W. of Sandy pt. ;
and is better marked on the S. and W. by a large projection of land which ends

LAKE WINNIPEG— TRAVERSE BAY. 37

Aug. i6th. Early I embarked and soon overtook my
people at Pointe de Sable ; they were all busy loading.
Having waited for them, we instantly entered Lake Winipic,
keeping the last land on the S. shore. The weather being
fine and clear, we stood out with the intention of making the
traverse ; but had not gone above a mile when suddenly the
wind rose to a gale from the N., followed by a high swell.
Before we could reach the shore we had several sand-banks
to pass over, where it was almost too shallow for the craft to
swim. This occasioned a short, tumbling sea which dashed
over us, and before we could land our canoes were half full
of water, and all of us wet to the skin. After much trouble
we got everything on shore, though one of my canoes was
split asunder from one gunnel to the other. The guide

about 12 m. W. N. W. of Sandy pt. Close off this land's end is present Elk
isl., formerly Red Deer isl., and before that Isle a la Biche— a name which once
caused Traverse bay to be known as Baie de I'lsle a la Biche. Henry has
to weather the land's end and then turn S. to the head of Lake Winni-
peg, to reach the mouth of the Red River of the North. The immense
body of water upon which he will thus enter has probably been known,
or known of, by the whites since 1660, through information received
from Radisson and Groseilliers ; it appears on Franquelin's map, 1688,
and about the end of the century was well enough known to be delineated
in the two parts into which it is separated at the Narrows ; and these
two had already received different names. The lake has been called by four
distinct names, without counting the unnumbered variants of three of these.
I. About the end of the seventeenth and beginning of the eighteenth century
the main upper portion was the Lake of the Crees or Kris — Lac des Christineaux,
Cristinaux, Kristineaux, Kinistinoes, Killistinaux, Killistinoes, Killistinons,
Knistineaux — and what not in way of variation in that insufferable word. The
elder Henry says that the lake was sometimes so called in 1776 : but the Cree
designation seems to have usually attached rather to the main part than to the
whole, and from the first was alternative to the name which reflected a different
tribe of Indians — the Stone Sioux, or Assiniboines. 2. Thus, we find Lac des
Assinipoualacs, Assinebouels, Assenepolis, Assinipoils, Asiliboils, etc., as a name
of the whole, though with more special application to the southern extension of
these waters, and often so applied exclusively. I have cited only some of the
early forms of this word, which ran through variants probably only less numer-
ous than the other one just said. 3. Nothing like the present name Winnipeg
has been traced back of the Ouinipigon of Verendrye, 1734 ; so that this series of
names probably comes third in order of time : see note ^"j p. 27. 4. But about
the middle of the last century, at least as early as 1749, when Verendrye estab-

38 LAKE WINNIPEG — ELK ISLAND.

was instantly at work repairing her, whilst all hands were
employed in drying the goods. Having fine weather, we
got everything in order again ; at two o'clock the wind
abated, we embarked, and soon after passed Red Deer [now
Elk] island. Here is a narrow strait between the island and
the mainland, which some years obliges us to portage about
200 paces, across a neck of sand ; but this year the water
being very high we got through without unloading. From
Bas de la Riviere to this place is W. six leagues. We had
no sooner got from behind the island than the wind sprung
up from the W., off the lake, accompanied by a heavy swell,
which obliged us to put ashore and unload. We remained
until sunset, when the wind abated. With great difficulty

lished Fort Bourbon on the Saskatchewan (Cedar 1.), the lake came to be called
Lac Bourbon, or de Bourbon ; and the same name was extended to the great river
by which it discharges into Hudson's bay, afterward known as York and now
as Nelson r. But Lake Bourbon seems never to have been in very general use,
nor to have been long current. 5. I have noted the term Grand Lac, but this
may have been a mere descriptive epithet rather than a proper name. Recurring
now to the very early history, I should not omit to note the journal of Henry
Kellsey, of the H. B. Co., showing that he was on Lake Winnipeg in July and
Aug., 1692 : see Bell, /. c. A great deal was learned of the lake under the
old regime, as is shown by the many French names of its various features which
still linger in their original forms, or have been rendered in English equivalents ;
and there are more of the latter than would be suspected at first blush. The
lake may be considered to have become well known in its main features soon
after the change from French to English rule in 1763. It extends through about
3% degrees of latitude, between 50° and 54°, having a length of some 250 m.,
of which the southern division only forms some 85 m. ; the general direction of
the long axis is not far from N. and S., with the meridian of 98" dividing
it into approximately equal parts E. and W.; the southern division and about
half of the main northern portion are in Manitoba, the rest in Keewatin. Be-
sides its numerous small feeders, Lake Winnipeg roceives the waters of the Rainy
River and English River systems, as we have already seen ; of the Red River
of the North and the Assiniboine, whose united stream enters the head of the
southern division ; of the Dauphin River system, from Lake Manitoba, etc.,
which enter in the S. W. portion of the northern division ; and the Saskatche-
wan waters, issuing at the extreme W. of the northern division. The discharge
of the whole lake is from its N. end through Nelson r. into Hudson's bay.
It may be called the great reservoir of all the waters thus indicated ; and these
are gathered from sources as remote from one another as the vicinity of Lake
Superior is distant from the Continental Divide of the Rocky mts.

LAKE WINNIPEG — GRAND MARAIS. 39

we loaded and embarked, with an aft wind, from the N.
Our course from Red Deer island was about S. After dark
the wind increased. We could find no convenient place to
land — nothing but large rocks, over which the sea broke
dangerously. Necessity kept us on with our sails close-
reefed, until we reached the Point of the Grand Marais.
Here the sea ran so high that we shipped a quantity of
water, which kept us using kettles to bail it out as fast as it
came in. At last we sighted the Grand Marais, and finding
ourselves more under a lee, we ran in safely about ten
o'clock.*'^ It was some' time before all the canoes and boats
reached us.

Sunday, Aug. lyth. Early this morning I was anxious to
proceed. The wind had fallen, but as the swell was still
very high, the guide thought it imprudent to attempt the
traverse of about six leagues to the entrance of Red river.
Our disaster of yesterday being no encouragement to defy
the elements, we dried our things and I went duck shooting,
having seen great numbers in the marais during my walk.
I shot several, and observed the tracks of moose, red deer,
and bears. The beach was covered with grasshoppers,"
which had been thrown up by the waves and formed one
continuous line as far as the eye could reach ; in some
places they lay from six to nine inches deep, and in a state
of putrefaction, which occasioned a horrid stench. I also
shot a pelican \Pelecanus erythrorhynchus\ of which there
are great plenty here. During my absence a party of my
people had been out to raise cedar for repairing their canoes

^' Henry put in on the W. shore of the peninsula which delimits Traverse
bay, about halfway from the land's end of that peninsula to the mouth of Red c
The Grand Marais or Big Marsh used to be called 6 leagues from Red r.,
but is not quite so far. A bay in this vicinity was known as Indian Portage
bay, because they used to carry 5 or 6 m. N. E. across the peninsula into
Traverse bay, instead of rounding the point. Henry habitually uses the F.
marais, not only in proper names, but as an English word, instead of marsh,
morass, swamp, or bog ; the copy commonly spells marrais, which I correct.

*^ Rocky Mountain locust, Calopienus spretus: compare date of June 25th,
1808, beyond.

40 LAKE WINNIPEG— MOUTH OF RED RIVER.

next spring, there being no wood of that kind on Red river ;
another party had been raising wattap for the same purpose.
We found an abundance of sand-cherries \Prumis pumila\
which were of an excellent flavor. At twelve o'clock we
embarked, but there being still some wind, we thought pru-
dent to coast the bay. We accordingly proceeded along a
fine sandy beach to Catfish river, when our course changed
to the W."' This river rises out of some large swamps and
small lakes on Cypress hills, which bear about S. S. E. We
proceeded along a low strip of land with shoal water, which
kept us some distance from shore. At three o'clock we ar-
rived at the entrance of Red river."^ This river empties into
Lake Winipic by three large channels ; the middle one is
that by which we generally pass, as there is a tolerably
good camp at its mouth ; the land is low, and may be said to
consist of one continued marais; what little dry land is to
be found is covered with low willows and high grass and
reeds. Wild fowl are very numerous. We found some In-
dians, who had many sturgeon and various kinds of small

** The bay which Henry coasts to his Catfish r, is the general angular inden-
tation at the head of which is the place called Balsam Bay, about the center of
Tp. 17, R. vii, E. of the princ. merid. A winter road goes hence N. E. across
the base of the peninsula to Fort Alexander. Catfish r. is now called Brokenhead
r. , and has a place of the same name on it ; it arises in the Provencher district
of Manitoba, where the Dawson road crosses it not very far from its sources,
flows on the whole little W. of N. through Selkirk district, in which it is
crossed by the Canadian Pacific Ry. at Beausejour, and falls into Pruden's bay
through the present Indian resei-ve, in Tp. 16, R. vi.

** For a contemporary account of the Red River of the North, up which
Henry now goes to establish his post for the winter of 1800-01, see John
McDonnell's Some Account of the Red River, about 1797, with Extracts from
his Journals, 1793-95, in Masson's Les Bourgeois de la Compagnie du Nord-
Ouest, 1st ser., 1889, pp. 265-95. John McDonnell was a brother of Miles
McDonnell, the first governor of Lord Selkirk's Red River colony. John be-
came a partner of the N. W. Co. about 1796, and remained in the country until
1815 ; sold out, and settled at Pointe Fortune, in the township of Hawkesbury,
where he kept a store, ran boats to Montreal, died, leaving several children who
died without issue, and was buried in the Catholic cemetery of Rigaud. W. J.
McDonnell, vice consul of France at Toronto in 1886, was his nephew. Red r.
has an extensive marshy delta with several small channels besides the three main
openings through the middle one of which Henry enters Pruden's bay.

RED RIVER — NETLEV CREEK. 4I

fishes, such as catfish, piccanan, male achegan, brim, poi's
d'oile, etc. They use a seine about five fathoms in length,
hauled between two canoes. We purchased some fish for
liquor, and proceeded up Red river, with a gentle current
and deep water. Our course was S. until we passed the
other two channels, when we turned W. and soon came to
Riviere aux Morts,'* about nine miles from the lake. Here
was another small camp of Indians, who had plenty of fish,
some dried meat, and a few beaver skins which I traded.

This small river comes in from the W., receiving its
waters from some lakes and bogs a little E. of Lake Mani-
toubane [Manitoba]. It derives its melancholy name from
a tragic event which happened many years ago, when the
Crees, who had no other means of procuring necessaries
than by making an annual journey to York Factory, on
Hudson's bay, generally assembled at this spot in the
spring. Having made every necessary preparation, the
chiefs and most active young men and women embarked in
small canoes with their furs, leaving the old people and
children to pass the summer at this place, where there was
plenty of game and fish. Once, during the absence of the
main party, the Sioux fell upon this helpless camp, and
destroyed a great number of old men, women, and children.
The others arrived too late to revenge themselves upon the
enemy. At this river the mainland really begins, although
it is nearly nine miles from the lake ; Red river is here
about a quarter of a mile wide,

*^ R. aux Morts translates the aboriginal name which, in its application to
this creek, is found as Nipuwin, or Nipuwinsipi ; in James' Tanner's Narr.
Ne-bo-wese-be {i. e., Nebowe r.), p. 177 ; in Keating's Long's Exp. Onepowe ;
it is translated River of the Dead, Dead r., and Death r. The tragic event
Henry narrates is said to have occurred about 1780. The stream is now-
called Netley or Nettley cr. ; it falls in at the N. border of the large Indian
reserve, which hence extends up both sides of the river for about 11 m., the
mouth of the creek being in Tp. 15 of R. v, E, of the princ. merid. Slightly
below this point Red r. expands into a liUle lake, also called Netley ; and also
receives Devil's cr., a small stream from the S. E. which cuts the N. E. comer
of the Indian reserve, and in passing that point presents the dilatation known as
Devil's 1.

42 RED RIVER — ST. ANDREW'S RAPIDS.

We proceeded with scarcely any current, the land very
low on both sides ; our course was S. Passed a small river
that comes in from the W. [stc'^''']. It takes its water from
a large marais at no great distance. Soon afterward we
passed Riviere qui D^boule [sic"^], which rises in Cypress
hills ; near its entrance is an island about half a mile long,
the only one in the Red river. We proceeded to the foot
of the Sault a la Biche," where we encamped. All hands
were soon busy with the hook and line ; they caught a
great many lacaishe, a small fish about a foot long, with
some catfish, pike, pois d'once, and male achegan. We
were much tormented by mosquitoes this evening.

Au£^. i8th. Early we embarked to ascend the rapids,
which are nothing more than a very strong current ; how-
ever, as we proceeded, we found the large stones and reefs
to increase in number, and in some places had dif^culty, as
the water was low. At twelve o'clock we got safely to the

*' Unidentified ; I can find no stream from the W. anywhere along here,
except Netley cr. If it be supposed that " W." is a mistake for E., this ques-
tionable stream may be taken for the Devil's cr. above said, which otherwrise
Henry passes unnoticed.

^^The verb appar. ddbouillir, to boil, and the phrase equivalent to Boiling r.
If I am right in identifying this stream with modern Cook's cr. , it falls in from
the S., on the right bank of Red r. (left-hand side ascending), a little above and
across the river from present village of Dynevor.

^9 Elk or Red Deer rapids, now St. Andrew's rapids, to reach which Henry
bas come by West Selkirk, East Selkirk, and Lower Fort Garry. The latter
was built by order of Sir George Simpson in 1831-33, in St. Andrew's, about
the border of St. Clement's, and strengthened with loopholes and bastions in
1841. McDonnell says, /. c, p. 268 : " Two or three leagues above Riviere
aux Morts is a clear spot on which Mr. Joseph Frobisher is said to have passed
a winter, and is called ' Fort a M. Frobisher.' The first rapid we come to is
the Sault a la Biche, about 3 leagues above Mr. Frobisher's Fort, and 3 leagues
long." This bears on Henry's statement that here had been a point where
Crees and Assiniboines assembled, but is specially notable in fixing with some
precision the site of Frobisher's post — perhaps the earliest on Red r., after the
original F. establishments, and one of which very little seems to be known.
This Frobisher is to be distinguished from his brother Thomas, and from the
somewhat later Benjamin Frobisher — to say nothing of the much earlier Sir
Martin Frobisher, discoverer of Frobisher's bay, who died 1594. (The name
will come up again, in another connection.)

THE FORKS OF RED RIVER. 43

head of the rapid, where we put ashore to gum. The chain
of rocks which intercepts the channel appears to come from
the N. W.; and having crossed the river, soon ends on the
E. side, where the land is low and marshy. At a short
distance there is a beautiful plain on the W., more elevated
than that on the E. The Crees and Assiniboines formerly-
assembled here in large camps, to await the arrival of the
traders, and here we may say the meadow country com-
mences. The grass is long, but there is no wood on the W.
We saw several fresh tracks of moose, red deer, and bears ;
also, some wolves and foxes. Pelicans are very numerous
in this rapid, attracted, as I suppose, by the shoals of
fish which frequent it. At one o'clock we loaded and em-
barked, leaving this barrier of limestone ; we found the
current not very strong, plenty of water, and seldom a
stone. Passed Frog pond,'" on the W., and soon afterward
Riviere la Seine," a creek which receives its waters from
Cypress hills, and after a winding course through a low
country, which in the spring is generally flooded, empties
at this place. The entrance is very narrow, though the
river above is wider and deeper. In a short time we arrived
at the Forks,"'' where the Assiniboine joins Red river, the

•"Frog pond is "at Kildonan church," Bell, /. c, p. 4. Kildonan parish
was named by Selkirk in 1817 from his settlers' home in Sutherlandshire, Scot-
land.

'•Seine r. is present name of the small stream which falls in opp. Fort
Garry (Winnipeg). It was called German cr. after 1817, from the persons of
that nationality of the De Meuron regiment, which came to Winnipeg under
Lord Selkirk.

'2 Winnipeg, formeriy and long Fort Garry ; capital of Manitoba, county
seat of Selkirk, metropolis of the Canadian Northwest, incorporated in 1873 ;
pop. 25,642, in iSgr ; lat. 49' 56' N., long. 97^ 7' W., 36 m. (direct) S. of
Lake Winnipeg, 58 m. (direct) N. of Pembina, 65 m. by rail from Pembina ;
Canadian Pacific and other railroads ; opposite is St. Boniface, on the E.
side of Red r. The confluence of the Assiniboine with Red r. was the
site of the first establishment of the whites in this region — Fort Rouge,
built by Verendrye in 1734, probably on the N. side of the Assiniboine.
It had been abandoned in 1737, became an " Ancien Fort" on a map
of 1750, and is not in Bougainville's list of F. forts of 1757. Under
the somewhat elusive circumstances of this case, what Henry will have

44 SITE OF CITY OF WINNIPEG.

former coming in from the W., while the latter keeps its
direct course from the S.

I found about 40 Saulteurs awaiting my arrival ; they
were provided with a plentiful stock of dried buffalo meat,
and anxious for a dram. I accordingly gave liquor in
return for their provisions ; they fell to and kept drinking
all night, during which we were plagued by mosquitoes, and

to say of old F. traces is specially interesting. Mr. Bell, /. c, p. 4,
cites Henry, believing that he refers to Fort Rouge, and that what he says
shows it was on the N. side of the Assiniboine, and not on the S. , as generally
has been supposed. Mr. Bell believes that he has determined the exact spot ;
viz., the Indian graveyard Henry speaks of: " even as late as 1870, when I
arrived at Fort Garry, the thicket of willows and brambles which stretched
along what is now the east side of Main street, from near the entrance of
Graham St., south to York St., covered the site of an extensive Indian grave-
yard, and was evidently the locality mentioned by Henry as the resort of the
watersnakes." The Forks was the name of the confluence of the two rivers by
the end of the last century, and consequently the fort H. B. Co. built there,
about that time, was so designated. This was on the N. side of the mouth of
the Assiniboine. In the summer of 1807 John McDonald of Garth built Fort
Gibraltar for the N. W. Co. at the mouth of the Assiniboine, near the present
site of the H. B. Co. mill ; this was seized by Colin Robertson for the H. B. Co.
in Apr., 1816, and destroyed by Governor Semple before June 19th of that year.
Fort Douglas was built in 1812 by Miles McDonnell on Red r., a mile below
present Fort Garry, " on the N. side of a coulee which entered the river, just
below where Mayor Logan's house now stands" (Bell, 1885); it was occupied
by the half-breed forces under Cuthbert Grant after the fight of June 19th, i8r6.
The name is that of Lord Selkirk's family, and the fort was occupied by the
first Selkirk settlers, who came from Hudson's bay in 1812. Fort Garry, which
so long gave name to the place, was built in 1835-36 by Mr. Christie, for the
H. B. Co.; it became the nucleus about which the city finally accreted, and
has never ceased to be an important establishment. But there was an earlier
H. B. Co. post of the same or similar name, for Keating's Long speaks of Fort
Gerry, in 1823 in charge of Donald McKenzie, chf. factor H. B. Co. (the same
who had been one of the overland Astorians) ; this was coexistent with the
colonists' Fort Douglas ; there were then also two churches, a school, and a pop.
of 600. The earliest H. B. Co, post is said to have been built about 1799.
Yet other trading-houses than those herein mentioned have been built at various
times on this historic spot, and we shall learn of some of them from our author.
The Forks he has now reached are so evenly matched in size that it was once
a question. Which is the main stream, and which the branch ? This has been
answered by common consent in favor of Red r. , the stream which arises in
Minnesota, in relation and to some extent in actual connection with certain

DIVISION OF THE BRIGADE AT THE FORKS. 45

prevented from sleeping by the howling the Indians and
their dogs kept up.

Au£;. igi/i. We began early this morning to unpack, assort,
and divide the goods, one-half being intended for Portage
la Prairie on the Assiniboine, and the remainder for Red
river. This employed us most of the day, during which we
also settled the men, delivered the baggages, and attended
to the Indians, who were still drinking. At twelve o'clock,

Mississippian waters about the heads of Crow Wing and Minnesota rivers,
separates Minnesota from North Dakota, enters Manitoba at 49° N., and keeps
on N. through the latter to Lake Winnipeg. Our name translates F. Riviere
Rouge, given by 1740 or earlier, and that translates Miscousipi of the aborigines;
but whether the implication be the " red " of the soil, or of the water, or of the
blood that had been spilled in these parts, may long exercise our wits to dis-
cover. Beltrami inclines to the view implied by his term Riviere Sanglante,
Bloody r., 1823. The full form of the name is Red River of the North, in
distinction from six or seven great Red rivers in the United States, besides
many little ones. Turning now to the other fork — the Assiniboine, as it is now
called in Canada, and as I shall uniformly render the name in this work, though
Assinniboin is commoner with us : This was the Red r. of various writers,
both before and during Henry's time. Thus Thompson's MS. of 1797-98, now
before me, repeatedly speaks of Red r. , meaning the Assiniboine — though his
usual name was Stone Indian r. When such double employ of " Red " was in
vogue, the present Red r. used to be qualified as Lower Red r., while the
Assiniboine was called Upper Red r., and such were their respective official
designations in the N. W. Co. An early, if not the first, distinctive name of
the Assiniboine was given in 1738 by Verendrye, who called it Riviere St.
Charles, thus canonizing his friend and patron, Charles, Marquis de Beauhar-
nois, governor and lieutenant-general of New France ; though, when he was
on the spot where Henry now is, Sept. 24th, 1738, he called it La Fourche des
Assiliboiles, Fork of the Assiniboines. Among uncounted, if not countless,
forms of the latter word may be here noted a series with initial O instead of A ;
these are generally connected with or traceable to Lord Selkirk, who speaks
of the Ossiniboyne r. and District of Ossiniboia. Bell, /. c, p. 5, cites a
curious verbality due to one Lieut. Chappel, 1814, quoted as saying that " the
infant colony [Selkirk's] is called by his Lordship Osna Boia, two Gaelic words,
signifying Ossian's town, from the resemblance between that and the Indian
name of Red river — Asnaboyne." Bell humorously remarks upon this that it
was probably not an attempt to prove that the Assiniboines were originally
Scotchmen ! (Compare Osnaburg, actual name of various places, and recall
Assiniboia, official designation of the lately created district of the Canadian
Northwest.) We shall learn much of both the large rivers here noted as we
follow Henry.

46 SCENES AND INCIDENTS AT THE FORKS.

five H. B. Co. boats, from Albany factory, or rather Mar-
tin's falls, arrived, Robert Goodwin, master, assisted by
Mr. Brown ; they put ashore, and remained with us until
four o'clock, when they proceeded up the Assiniboine.
Their boats carry about 45 packages, of unequal weights,
but averaging 80 pounds each, and are conducted by four
oarsmen and a steersman. They are neatly built and
painted, -and sharp at both ends. Our people found amuse-
ment in fishing with hook and line, and were well recom-
pensed for their trouble, as they took a great many of
different kinds. Pigeons were in great numbers ; the trees
were every moment covered with them, and the continual
firing of our people did not appear to diminish their
numbers.

In French times there was a trading establishment on
this spot, traces of which are still to be seen where the
chimneys and cellars stood [Verendrye's Fort Rouge].
I am also informed there was a chapel and a missionary
here for several years ; but I don't believe they ever made
much progress toward civilizing the natives.

We are troubled by swarms of water-snakes, which even
come into our tents at midday ; every morning some are
sure to be found on our beds ; but they are harmless.
They appear to lurk and breed in the old graves, of which
there are many, this spot having been a place of great
resort for the natives in 1781-82 ; and at the time the small-
pox made such havoc many hundreds of men, women, and
children were buried here.

This afternoon a few Indians arrived on horseback. They
came from the direction of Portage la Prairie, and were of
the tribe called Snakes, who formerly inhabited Lake of
the Woods. They once were numerous, but now cannot
muster more than 50 men. They may be said to be of the
same nation as the Crees, but have a different dialect,
somewhat resembling the Saulteur language. They are
a mischievous and thieving set of scoundrels. They now
inhabit a tract of land upon the Assiniboine, about 30

ARRIVAL OF THE ASSINIBOINE BRIGADE. 47

leagues W. from this place, and some of them are to be
found almost all over the country where there are Saulteurs
and Crees.

I purchased a horse from them for a 9-gallon keg of
mixed rum, and one of my people bought another for the
same price. Those were the first and only two horses we
had on Red river ; the Saulteurs had none, but always
used canoes. This afternoon I took a ride, equipped with a
miserable wooden saddle and a leather string for a bridle.
Most of the horses which belong to these Indians have
very sore backs, which I suppose is occasioned by their
bad saddles. The poor brutes are in a shocking condition ;
some of them, as soon as they are unsaddled, will bite and
tear the raw flesh until the blood flows, and then kick and
roll for some time, whilst their whole bodies quiver and
they appear to be in agony. Indians and Canadians ride
horses in this condition with the greatest composure, and
no care is taken of them. After a day's journey their fore-
feet are tied together, and they are sent to look out for
themselves; but they seldom stray far from camp.

This evening the Assiniboine brigade overtook and
camped with us — Mr. John McDonell," one of the propri-

** John McDonnell's Journal, 1793-97, in Masson, I., 1889, p. 284, begins
thus: "1793. October nth, Fri. Arrived at the Fort of the River ^«? a//^//<?,
called by Mr. Robert Grant, when he built it. Fort Esperance." Mr. Cuthbert
Grant was then there ; he left on the i8th, at which date we read, p. 284 :
' ' Neil McKay set out to build and winter at the forks of the river, alongside
of Mr. Peter Grant, who has made his pitch about five leagues from here. . .
Mr. C. Grant also set out for his quarters of River Tremblante, about 30 leagues
from here." McDonnell locates Fort Esperance " two short days' march in
canoes" up the Qu'Appelle r. from its mouth, states that it "has been settled
these ten years past," and inhabited ever since, summer and winter ; and that it
was " chiefly Mr. Robert Grant's residence while he superintended the Red
River affair." He describes R. Tremblante as being little further above R.
a Coquille than the latter is above R. Qu'Appelle. R. a Coquille is present
Shell r., once Clam r., the origin of whose name is seen in the following
extract : " We returned by the way of Swan River, and the Menaukonoskeeg,
towards Red River. About the Menaukonoskeeg and Aissugsebee, or Clam
River, whose head waters interlock," etc., James' Tanner's Narr., p. 93.
These memoranda will be useful for future reference.

48 DEPARTURE FROM THE FORKS.

etors of the N. W. Co., who has nine canoes and three boats,
and proposes to winter at Riviere Qu' Appelle.

Aii£^. 20th. Early this morning Mr. McDonell with his
brigade left us, and I soon sent off my canoes, whilst I
remained to get the Indians off; they were scarcely sober
yet, but by noon the ground was clear of them. The
Opposition or X. Y. Co. brigade of nine canoes and one
boat soon arrived, and passed directly up the Assiniboine,
not seeing any Indians to induce them to go up Red river.

At twelve o'clock I embarked and proceeded about six
miles," when I found my canoes camped with all the
Indians. The latter were anxiously awaiting my arrival,
with the expectation of getting more liquor ; but I would
not give out any, being anxious to get on my journey.
Some of their principal men assembled at my tent and
made long speeches for the purpose of getting liquor, but
as I persisted in refusing, they returned to their cabins.
My men caught upward of 300 lacaishe and some catfish.
We were much troubled with mosquitoes ; it was very
sultry and warm, with showers of rain.

The beach along this river being black mud, the last rain
turned it into a kind of mortar that adheres to the foot like
tar, so that at every step we raise several pounds of it, and
everything that touches it receives a share. The interpreter
whom I had sent on by land was over two hours in coming,
having found much difficulty in getting his horse through
the woods. The S. side of the Assiniboine, particularly
near the Forks, is a woody country, overgrown with poplars
so thickly as scarcely to allow a man to pass on foot ; this
extends some miles W., when the wood is intersected by
small meadows. This woody country continues S. up Red
river to Riviere la Sale. On the E. side the land is low,
overgrown with poplars and willows, frequently intersected
by marshes, stagnant ponds, and small rivulets. Moose, red
deer, and bears are numerous. The banks are covered on

" This would bring Henry to a position in the vicinity of present St. Vital, a
small place on the W. bank, in the parish of the same name.

ROSTER OF RED RIVER BRIGADE. 49

both sides with willows, which grow so thick and close as
scarcely to admit going through ; adjoining these is com-
monly a second bank of no great height. This is covered
with very large wood, such as Hard, bois blanc, elm, ash,
and oak ; some of the trees are of enormous size. In the
rear of this are oaks alone ; then poplars and willows, as
mentioned above."

A7(£^. 2 1st. Early this morning, having examined the
baggages of my people, I embarked my brigade, now re-
duced to 4 canoes, with 26 packages apiece. On board
are the following men and families :

RETURN OF RED RIVER BRIGADE, 180O-OI.''

First Canoe. — i. Alexander Henry: Bourgeois, in charge
of the brigade. 2. Jacques Barbe : Voyageur, conductor or
bowman (ducent). 3. Etienne Charbonneau: Voyageur,

" As regards these trees : Liard of the F. is any one of the large species of
Popidus or poplars which in the West we commonly call cottonwood, as P.
balsamifera, P. monilifera, and the like ; Henry probably here means the
former of these two. Bois blanc is the whitewood, basswood, or linden, Tilia
americana. The elm is Uhnus americana. The commonest large oak, of the
Red r. is Quercus macrocarpa. What Henry calls "poplar," in distinction
from liard, is a species of the same genus, Populus tremuloid,;s , the common
aspen of this country, usually called by us in the West quaking-ash or quaking-
asp, from the shivering of its leaves in the breeze, and for the same reason
known to the F. as tremblier. The commonest willow along Red r, is Salix
rostrata. The ash of the text I have not identified — it is not necessarily ^ra;fi-
nus americana in this case.

"^ This return can be checked by the list of names given beyond, p. 77, when
the brigade is separated in two at Reed r. , Sept. 3d. The total of the two lists
differs ; but the total of the men is the same — 21. Some irreconcilable dis-
crepancies in reckoning the women and children will be observed ; but marriage,
desertion, birth, death, and copyist's mistakes are enough to account for any
such. The two lists of 21 men are identifiable in every case but that of No. 17
above. This stands as " Franfois Seni " in my copy; while in the list of Sept.
3d no such name appears, but " Roger " occurs instead. As we know there was
no change meanwhile in the men of the brigade, these two must be names of the
same person, who can be given conjecturally as above. Several variants of
names will be observed ; these are deduced from the two lists, and from other
passages in Henry, but there is no question of identity in any case. I shall
hereafter, in each instance of such variants in my copy, cause it to conform to

50 ROSTER OF RED RIVER BRIGADE.

steerer, or helmsman (guide). 4. Joseph Dubois: Voy-
ageur, steerer, or helmsman. 5. Angus McDonald: Voy-
ageur, midman. 6. Antoine Lafrance : Voyageur, midman.
7. Pierre Bonza or Bonga : a negro.

Second Canoe.— %. Michel (Coloret) Langlois: Clerk (com-
mis); with his wife and daughter. 9. Andre Lagass6,
Lagace, or La Gassers : Voyageur, conductor; with his
wife. 10. Joachim Daisville, or Donville, once Rainville :

the first spelling of the name as above given. For the rest, I have simply
dressed Henry's copy a little for typographical appearances, as it was in singu-
larly bad shape to print. I believe it to be as near right as it can be made.
The probable error in this case is surprisingly slight— it is nothing in compari-
son with what we shall have to reckon with further on. Some additional items
of information concerning these men may be conveniently presented, and I will
take occasion to bring together here various memoranda I have made concerning
other persons of the same surnames.

No. 3. Etiennc Charbonneau continued as voyageur N. W. Co. after 1804,
Lake Winnipeg.— Louis Charbonneau appears, same as Etienne. One of these
was with Henry, 1807-08.— Toussaint Charbonneau of the N. W. Co. wintered
at Pine fort on the Assiniboine, 1793-94- This is the individual whom Lewis
and Clark engaged at the Mandans, winter of 1804-05, and who figures under
so many aliases in the History of their Expedition.

No. 4. There appear to have been two of this name in the N. W. Co. —
Joseph Dubois is listed as voyageur. Upper Red r., and the same'as voyageur.
Fort des Prairies, after the fusion of 1804.— Jean Baptiste Dubois came to Sault
Ste. Marie in 1803, and appears as voyageur N. W. Co., Fort des Prairies, 1804.
— Fran9ois Dubois, voyageur N. W. Co., 1804, Rat River country; wintered,
1804-05, at the house on or near Cranberry 1., under Joseph Cartier.— Antoine
Dubois, Canadian, had been killed by Indians before 1807, when his daughter
Marguerite, aged 14, married Jean Joseph Roulette 3d, at Prairie du Chien.

No. 5. Angus McDonald continued with Henry for some years, as we shall
find. His humble station, if not his name, distinguishes him from the many
McDonalds who are preferably noticed elsewhere.

No. 6. No further information of Antoine Lafrance.— One Lafrance retired
with 12,000 francs in 1791. — One Lafrance was killed in the summer of 1799.—
Jean Baptiste Lafrance, N. W. Co., left Fort Esperance for the Mandans, Dec.
loth, 1793. The same appears as interpreter N. W. Co., Upper Red River
dept., Sept., 1804, and as clerk at the Mandans under F. A. Larocque, 1804;
name misprinted Lachance in Masson, I. p. 81. The same, of H. B. Co., left
the Assiniboine, at mouth of the Souris, May, 1806, to trade with the Mandans,
and was that year found among them by Lewis and Clark, Henry, and others.
No. 7. Pierre Bonza appears as interpreter N. W. Co., Lower Red r., 1804.
No. 8. Michel Langlois appears oftener as Michel Coloret, Coleret, or

ROSTER OF RED RIVER BRIGADE. 5 1

Voyageur, steerer. 11. Andre Beauchemin : Voyageur,
midman. 12. Jean Baptiste Benoit : Voyageur, midman.

Third Canoe. — 13. Jean Baptiste Desmarais : Interpreter;
with his wife and two children. 14. Jean Baptiste Larocque,
Sen.: Voyageur, conductor. 15. Jean Baptiste Larocque,
Jun. : Voyageur, steerer. 16. Etienne Roy: Voyageur,
midman. 17. Francois Roger, Sen. (?) : Voyageur, midman.

Fourth Canoe. — 18. Joseph Masson, or Maceon : Voy-
ageur, conductor. 19. Charles Bellegarde : Voyageur,
steerer. 20. Joseph Hamel : Voyageur, midman. 21. Nic-

Collerette ; but Henry, who will have much to say of him, calls him Langlois,
except in one place. The term appears to be an epithet rather than a personal
name, as if L' Anglais, the Englishman. — Eustache Langlois was a voyageur
N. W. Co., 1804, Rainy Lake.

No. 9. No question of identity in this case, — There is at least one other of
same surname, Charles Lagasse, or Lagace, who was with Thompson on the
Upper Saskatchewan in April, 1800 ; went with him to the Kootenays, Oct.
5th-23d, 1800 ; was fitted out to winter with them, 1800-01 : was with Thomp-
son in the Rocky mts., 1808-10; deserted May 17th, 1810, on Thompson's
attempting to force him to duty for which he said he was not fit ; reappears
with Thompson at Ilthkoyape (Kettle) falls, on the Columbia, June 22d, 1811,
and went S. Aug. 29th, 1811.

No. 10. " Daisville," or " Donville," is found in no other connection, and
I suspect error, though the unusual first name, Joachim, would seem to preserve
identity. The connection of " Rainville " with this case is likewise dubious. —
Joseph Rainville, with Henry, at Pembina, in July, 1804, accidentally killed V.
St. Germain. — Various persons, of more than one generation, were named Rain-
ville, Reinville, or Renville : for example, see Pike, ed. 1895, pp. 39, 40, 87, 99,
180, 207, 242; see also biogr. of one Joseph Rainville in Tasse, I. pp. 293-304.

No. II. Andre Beauchemin was still with Henry, 1807-08. — Jean Baptiste
Beauchemin, voyageur N. W. Co., Fort Chipewyan, 1799-1800, is called
" cet homme sans souci;" found at forks of Peace r., summer 1803; listed Eng-
lish r. after fusion of 1804.

No. 12. No further record.

No. 13. Identity complete, and much said of him beyond; record goes from
1799 to 1823, when he guided Long's party from Winnipeg to Lake Superior
by the Kaministiquia route, Keating, II. p. 67, and is spoken very highly of,
p. 78. There were several others of this surname, which varies to Demarais.
— One Desmarais was with Peter Grant at Lac la Rouge, 1789, very likely Jean
Baptiste. — Fran9ois Desmarais is listed as interpreter N. W. Co., Upper Red r.,
1804. — Ignace Desmarais, voyageur N. W. Co., Nepigon, 1804. — Louis
Desmarais, voyageur N. W. Co., Rainy 1., 1804; Red r., with Henry, 1807-08.

No. 14 and No. 15. Many persons, several generations, of this notable sur-

52 ROSTER OF RED RIVER BRIGADE.

olas Pouliot, Pouliotte, Poultiatte, or Rubiette : Voyageur,
midman.

RECAPITULATION.

Bourgeois (Henry), . . . . . . . i

Clerk (Langlois), . i

Interpreter (Desmarais), i

Negro (Bonza), ....... i

Voyageurs (names as above), . . . . -17

Women (one woman not given above), ... 4

Children (one child not given above), ... 4

Persons, ......... 29

Horses, ......... 2

name, which varies to Laroche, Laroque, Le Rock, etc. (and without the definite
article). — Auguste Laroche, voyageur N. W. Co., Red Lake dept., 1804.
— Antoine Larocque, voyageur N. W. Co., Lower Red r., 1804 ; at Pembina,
under Henry, 1807-08. — Charles Larocque, of N. W. Co., at Pembina, with
Henry, 1807-08. — Franfois Antoine Larocque, clerk N. W. Co., Upper Red r.,
1804 ; led the Mandan expedition of that year, etc. His full record will be
noted beyond, when Henry is at the Mandans. — Jacques Larocque, voyageur
N. W. Co., Red Lake dept., 1804. — The two named Jean Baptiste Larocque,
father and son, are not usually discriminated ; we have records of one or both,
1800-08, Red r., English r., Saskatchewan r., etc. — Joseph Larocque, younger
brother of Franf. Ant. Larocque, was clerk N. W. Co., English r., 1804 ; later
an Astorian (full record beyond, when Henry is on the Columbia). — Pierre
Larocque, voyageur N. W. Co., Fort Dauphin, Lake Winnipeg, etc., 1804. —
For one A. Rocque, or Roque, without the definite article, in Minnesota,
1805-06, see Pike, ed. 1895, pp. 36, 41, 61. — Joseph Rocque was interpreter
among the Sioux in Minnesota about 1786. — Pascal Rocque is listed as voy-
ageur N. W. Co., Le Pic, 1804.

No. 16. (For many persons named Roy, see a note beyond.)

No. 17. Name wholly in question.

No. 18. Recorded on to 1804, The surname is the same as that of Senator
L. R. Masson, whose Bourgeois, etc., is one of the most notable and valuable
contributions ever made to the history of the subject now occupying us.

No. 19. No further record of Charles. — Another Bellegarde, first name
unknown, of X. Y. Co., was near Fort Chipewyau, May 23d, 1800.

No. 20. Of Joseph Hamel, record to 1804, Lower Red r. — At this time
Frangois Hamel, voyageur N. W. Co., also there.

No. 21, Record of him to 1804. " Rubiette" is a mere clerical blunder,
and the name has now settled into Pouliot, borne by several well-known
Canadian families.

LIST OF THE INDIANS.

Having sent off the canoes, I endeavored to get the
Indians away also ; but the fellows were in no hurry to
decamp, as generally is the case with Indians when they
suspect that you do not wish to proceed without them
I was apprehensive lest some of them might return to the
Forks. It was ten o'clock before I got them all off. Their
brigade consisted of 45 canoes. Names of the Indians were
as follows

NATIVE NAME.
I.

2. Tabashaw (chief).

5. Madgetonce.

6. Ocanashkit.

7. Sesai.
8.

10.

II. Pegouisse.
12.

13.

14- Aceguemanche.

15.

16. Kaygecaon.

17-

FRENCH NAME.

I. Vieux Folle Avoine.
2.

3. Le Pendu.

4. LaBerdash (Sucre's
son).

5.
6.

9-
10.
ir.
12. Bras Forts (or Gros),

Vieux Collier.
Petite Coquille.
Poule d'Eau.

13. Perdrix Blanche.

14. Petit Chef.

15. Robe Noire.
16.

17- Petite Grue.

ENGLISH NAME.

I. Old Wild Rice.
2.

3. Hanged.

4. Berdash,

5-
6.

8. Old Necklace.

9. Little Shell.
10. Water Hen.
II.

12. Strong (or Thick)

Arms.
13- White Partridge.

14. Little Chief.

15. Black Robe.
16.

17. Little Crane.

The list as it stands in copy is curiously trilingual ; some names Ojibway
some French, some English, and others still a compound of French and Engl
hsh. I print the Indian names precisely as they stand, but translate the French
and English into their equivalents, reciprocally, and correct the French forms
I will also hereafter hold Henry to the forms of the names which appear here'
however variously they recur in the copy. The following remarks throw som;
httle further light on the list: No. i stands in copy as Old Fallewine.
No. 2 murdered h.s relative Missistaygouine, Feb. 15th. 1803 ; killed by Sioux
late m 1807 No. 4. A berdash is any young man who affects the ways of a
woman and suffers himself to be used as such (see Catlin's pi. 296, 4th ed
1844, n. p. 214). It is curious to find the name in the list with the feminine
article. Tanner, p. 105, speaks of this very person : " Some time in the course
of this winter, there came to our lodge one of the sons of the celebrated Ojib-
beway chief, called Wesh-ko-bug [or Wiscoup], (the sweet [or Le Sucre]), who
hved at Leech Lake. This man was one of those who make theJi^elves

LIST OF THE INDIANS.

NATIVE NAME.

FRENCH NAME.

ENGLISH NAME.

i8.

Gausacegiushe.

18.

19.

Mauvaise Hache.

19.

Bad Ax.

20.

Liard.

20.

Cottonwood.

21.

Le Borgne.

21.

The Blind.

22.

Taon.

22.

Gadfly.

23.

Naubeenvishcung.

23-

23.

24.

Aishquebugicoge.

24.

Gueule Platte.

24.

Flat Mouth,

25-

Boeuf.

25-

Buffalo.

26.

Wayquetoe.

26.

27-

27.

Grande Gueule.

27.

Big Mouth.

28.

Terre Grosse (or
Grasse).

28.

Thick (or Fat) Earth.

29.

Bras Courts.

■ 29.

Short Arms.

30.

Capot Rouge.

30.

Red Hood.

31.

Ondainoiache.

31-

31.

32.

Miseaebitte.

32.

33.

33-

Jambes Croches.

33-

Crooked Legs.

34.

34-

Petit Caribou.

34-

Little Reindeer.

Two bands of 0-ge-bois [Ojibways] or Saulteurs, inhabitants of the head-
waters of the Mississippi, Leech Lake, etc., have left their lands since the
years 1789-90.

35-

Quiniss.

35.

36.

Nanaundeyea.

36.

37-

Grosse Loge.

37-

Big Lodge.

38.

Corbeau.

38.

Raven (or Crow).

39-

Pickoutiss.

39-

40.

Maymiutch.

40.

41.

41-

Charlo (brother of

41.

Charlo.

Corbeau).
Red Sucker of Beavers, inhabitants of Red lake, which they abandoned in
1790.

women, and are called women by the Indians. There are several of this sort
among most, if not all the Indian tribes ; they are commonly called A-go-kwa,
a word which is expressive of their condition. This creature, called Ozaw-
wen-dib, (the yellow head,) was now near fifty years old, and had lived with
many husbands." Tanner goes on to speak of "her," and relates his
troubles in escaping from the " disgusting advances " which he, she, or it made.
No. 6 is elsewhere Oucanaskit; died summer of 1802. No. 12 killed an
Indian, Aupersoi, in Pembina mts., Mar. 13th, 1802, and was himself killed
by Aupersoi's young brother the same day ; whereupon No. 9 and No. 31
killed Aupersoi's mother. No. 12's son died Feb. 27th, 1803. No. 14 is else-
where Aceguimance, Auguimance, Auguemance, Acquimance. No. 17 died
Feb. 27th, 1803. No. 2o's daughter became Henry's wife, Jan. 1st, 1801.
No. 22 is also found as Toan and Taonsone ; died summer of 1802. No. 23 is

STINKING RIVER. 55

I now embarked and pushed on after my canoes. The
Indians advised me to be on my guard against the Sioux,
who they said we had every reason to suppose would fall
upon us before many days, as they had been at war during
the past summer on the upper part of this river, and had
found the vestiges of a Sioux camp. They were certainly
in a state of great alarm when we arrived at the Forks, and
had even made a sort of intrenchment by digging deep
holes in the ground several yards long for the security of
their women and children, and for their own defense in case
of attack. We soon overtook my canoes, which seemed in
no hurry to push on alone, having been warned of danger
by Indians.

The current is not very strong. The course of the river
is very winding, with deep water and not a stone to be seen.
At two o'clock my canoe ran on a stump, and broke a hole in
her. We put ashore and repaired. Meanwhile the Indians
passed on; at three o'clock we followed, and found them all
camped at the entrance of Riviere la Sale.^' This small

also found as Naubunaijam ; killed by Sioux early in 1806. No. 24 is the name
of one of the most celebrated Ojibway chiefs who ever lived (see Pike, ed,
1895, p. 169). No. 26 is also Waiquetoe. No. 31 is also Ondoinoiache and
Ondoiworache ; killed by Sioux, Nov., 1803. No. 35 is probably also Cau-
toquoince. No. 36 is also spelled Nanaudaya, Nanauduge, Manaundea.
No. 38 was brother of Charlo. No. 39 is also Picoutiss. No. 40 is else-
where Maimiutch, Maiminch, Maimunch, etc. No. 41 died Jan. 15th, 1801.

'® Henry's R. la Sale or Sale r. is still known by the same or a similar name,
but oftener now called Stinking r., as it has been at times for at least 75 years.
The F. word is sale, foul, filthy — not saU, salty ; nor saule, willow ; nor sable,
sand ; nor salle, hall ; nor yet La Salle, a person's name — though I have found
all these forms. Thompson, 1798, calls it Salt or Bad Water r. Another render-
ing isWenagomo or Muddy r. , in Keating's Long, II. 1824, p. 80. The stream
heads not far from the Assiniboine, in the country S. of Portage la Prairie,
runs on an average course about E. S. E. into Tp. 8, R. i, E. of the prina
merid., a few miles below Blythfield, and there turns N. N. E. to meander into
the Red r. at St. Norbert, about 10 m. S. of Winnipeg. It is crossed by
the Pembina branch of the C. P. Ry. at or near La Salle, and higher up, at
or near Starbuck, by the S. W. branch of the same, while the N. P. and Mani-
toba R. R. runs by some of its upper reaches to Portage la Prairie. The region
drained by this stream lies entirely between Scratching r. on the S. and the
Assiniboine on the N.

56 DRINKING UNDER DIFFICULTY.

river comes in from the W., taking its water nearly opposite
Portage la Prairie, in a long marsh, not above a mile from
the Assinboine. Its first course is S. for several miles, when
it takes a sudden bend and runs E. until it empties into Red
river, forming the N. boundary of the great meadows of
this river. The country which lies between the Sale and
Assiniboine is low and forms in many places marshy
meadows, thickly intersected with poplars and willows,
which never grow to any height. Moose and red deer are
very numerous at all seasons, and in the winter buffaloes
resort here, for shelter from storms and cold. We went
about half a mile and put ashore for the night. Having
promised the Indians, on leaving the Forks, that they
should have a drink here, they soon assembled ; one of them
brought me part of a red deer, and the others some wild
fowl. Everything being ready, I gave Tabashaw, Maymi-
utch, and Vieux Collier each some clothing and other
articles, as follows : A scarlet laced coat ; a laced hat ; a red
round feather ; a white linen shirt ; a pair of leggings ; a
breech clout ; a flag ; one fathom of tobacco, and a 9-gallon
keg of rum. Among the others I divided three kegs of
mixed liquor (nine quarts of high wine per keg), and four
fathoms of tobacco. I then, in a long speech, encouraged
them to behave well, and not to be afraid of the Sioux,
but to follow me up to Turtle river, where I proposed to
winter, and also told them that beavers were plenty in those
quarters, so that they could procure all their necessaries
with ease. Just as I was giving out the farewell glass, for
them to return to their tents to enjoy the liquor, some of
their women came running into camp, bawling out that
they had heard several shots fired in the meadow. A
council was instantly held. I ordered the Indians to leave
their liquor with me, and put off drinking till to-morrow;
but they had tasted it, and must drink, at the risk of their
lives. They requested me to order my men to mount
guard during the night, as the women appeared so very
positive that they had heard shots, and we were con-

THE VOYAGE RESUMED. 57

vinced there were no Saulteurs about us. I did not
know what to think of it ; however, the Indians went away
and began to drink, whilst my people amused themselves
fishing. About sunset three horsemen appeared on the W.
side of the river ; this gave an alarm, and everyone flew to
arms, when the horsemen, observing our bustle and conster-
nation, called out to us in Saulteur to ferry them over.
This we did with pleasure. They proved to be three
men of Red Sucker's band, who, having got wind of my
arrival to winter up this river, had come to join us with
their families from Grand Passage on the Assiniboine.
They brought me the flesh of a cow which they had killed
not far off, on the S. side of Riviere la Sale. They had seen
several herds. I went over the river for a walk on the
plains, but soon returned, as I found the walking too bad
in the long grass, stunted poplars, willows, and rosebushes.
No large wood was to be seen, excepting along the river.
My men caught upward of 200 lacaishe and about 30 cat-
fish. The Indians did not once trouble me during the
night.

Aug.22d. Indians still drinking. One of them brought
me a large beaver. Many sturgeons were jumping night
and day. The Indians plagued me much for goods on
credit, but I did not think proper to give them any.

At ten o'clock we embarked, intending to go a few miles
only and then wait for the Indians. We found a few
stones ; through carelessness a foreman ran his canoe upon
one and broke her very much, but the others being near at
hand we kept the property from getting wet. This affair
took some time, and the accident having happened at a very
ugly spot, where we had mud up to the middle, it was noon
before we embarked. We came to a place we found very
shallow for about a mile, the bottom a stiff black clay, the
current almost a rapid. Having passed this, we entered
deep water again. The river continues very crooked, and I
am told the water is lower than has ever been known before ;
still there is enough for a Montreal canoe laden with 70

58 DIFFERENT FRUITS — FRUITLESS OFFERINGS.

pieces. There are some few places that appear too shallow,
but there is always a channel to be found amongst the
5umps of clay, and stones are rare. Those passages in some
places are very narrow and crooked, but deep.

Having come three leagues,^' we put ashore to wait for the
Indians. We crossed our horses over to the W. side, the
country being more favorable for them than upon the E.,
which continues to be thick woods. After the rain the men
began fishing as usual, while others went in search of fruit,
of which they found great plenty, such as red plums, pan-
binas,*" and grapes. The plums are just now ripe and very
good ; they appear to be of three different sorts — large
yellow speckled, large red, and small red. There are also
two other kinds — small gray speckled and small yellow
speckled. The panbina is fine and large, of a beautiful red,
but requires the frost to ripen it. The same is the case
with the grapes, which are of a small sort, when ripe per-
fectly blue ; the vines are bending to the ground with them.
The Indians brought me a horse which I purchased for
liquor. About sunset they all arrived and camped with us.
Old Buffalo, still half drunk, brought me his eldest daughter,
about nine years of age, and insisted upon my taking her for
a wife, in hopes I would give him a keg of liquor ; but I
declined the offer. I gave him and each of his brethren a
dram, and sent them to their cabins. I was plagued by
several others, Charlo brought me his daughter, about 12
years old, for a wife, but I would have nothing to do with
any of them, and a dram apiece was all they could get.

A»£^. 2jd. The Indians paid me a very early visit to
demand dry goods on credit, in expectation of getting
liquor. This is customary on their taking debts ; we gen-
erally give them some liquor to encourage them to hunt

" The strong water which Henry has passed is that now known as Crooked
rapids. He has probably passed Cartier, and camps in the vicinity of the place
called Royal, 5 or 6 m. (direct) below the mouth of Rat r.

*" Berries of Viburnutn oxycoccus. The word yields several geographical
Barnes, to be discussed beyond (at Pembina).

TABASHAW MAKES HIS MEANING CLEAR. 59

and pay us.' But we were still too near the Forks for me
to listen to them, as I was well persuaded several would
have returned and cheated me ; but to encourage them to
behave well I gave them a little powder, shot, balls, and
tobacco. I then wished them to embark, but to no pur-
pose ; they told me that some of their old women had some
liquor left over from yesterday, and they would go and
drink it ; as for me, they did not care whether I stayed
with them or not. This was vexatious; but they were
independent of us, and vigorous measures could have availed
nothing. I therefore put the best face I could upon the
matter, and they retired in sullen silence. My men as usual
betook themselves to fishing, and in a short time caught
upwards of 300 lacaishe. About twelve o'clock Tabashaw
came to my tent, with some others ; they were all intoxi-
. Gated ; he said his errand was liquor, and liquor he must
have, otherwise " the children would cry." I comprehencied
his meaning, and desired my men to examine their guns
and be on their guard, as I could not answer for the con-
sequences of the present interview. We smoked several
pipes, during which time Tabashaw made some speeches,
the conclusion of which was always — " liquor." Others also
spoke to the same purpose ; but all this would not do. I
was fully determined not to give them even a dram, as they
had made use of very unbecoming expressions, and it
appeared to me their plan was to frighten us. Reluctant
as I was to have any misunderstanding with them at this
early period, I could not suffer them to impose upon me.
I plainly saw what they were bent upon, and no moderation
would answer upon the present occasion. I therefore told
them for the last time that I was determined to not give
them a drop of liquor ; that their behavior was indecent ;
that they saw the baggages — the rum was there, if they
would have it they must take it ; but this they must not
expect to do whilst I and my men could fire a shot. This
short speech had the desired effect. They said they did
not come to rob or murder us; they only wanted a drop to

6o RAT RIVER.

smoke a pipe comfortably ; but as I was so very fond of it,
they would insist no longer, but wait patiently until I
thought proper to treat them. They dropped away one by
one, and in a short time were all gone except the chief,
Tabashaw, whom I looked upon as the greatest villain of
them all. He remained to make friends, and persuade me
that he had been pushed on by the others; he hoped I
would not think the worse of him, but continue to do him
charity, etc. Thus ended an affair which at one time I
thought would have serious consequences. I knew very
well that the Indians I had to deal with were brave fellows,
who had more than once pillaged traders.

Sunday, Aug. 2^th. The Indians were sober, but very
sullen. At twelve o'clock we embarked, and accompanied
by a few canoes of Indians, saw many fresh tracks of
moose, red deer, and bears, and I shot some wild fowl.
The river winds as before, but our average course is S.
Two bars in a canoe gave way ; we put ashore, and fast-
ened them with rope. At five o'clock we camped at Rat
river with some of the Indians. This small river is from
the E.; at about three miles from its entrance it is divided
into three branches, all of which rise from the Cypress hills,
and after winding through low country, like the Seine, in
whose neighborhood it runs. Rat river empties at this
place.'' A few years ago beavers were plenty on the upper

*' The main forks of Rat r. unite much further than this from Red r. ; they
are known as the E. branch and the S. branch. Their general course, like
that of their united stream, is from S. E. to N. W. On nearing Red r.,
Rat r. turns more to the N., receives a large branch from the S. , and falls in
nearly on the latter course. The drainage is approx. parallel with that of the
Seine, with which Henry compares it. The location of Chaboillez's house is
confirmed by Thompson, who passed it on Friday, Mar. gth, 1798 ; he says
that it was built \ m. up Rat r., but does not say on which side. He made the
lat. 49" 33' 58" N. This post must not be confounded with Chaboillez's house
of 1797-98, on Red r., at site of Pembina. There were two persons named
Chaboillez, father and son, both of the N. W. Co., and often confused. C. J.
B. Chaboillez was on the Red and Assiniboine, etc., with some intermission,
from 1796, or earlier, till 1805, or later; he signed the Montreal agreement of
Nov. 5th, 1804, by his attys.; in winter of 1804-05, he was in charge of Dept.

CHABOILLEZ'S HOUSE — VOYAGE RESUMED. 6l

part of these forks, but now they are nearly destroyed. At
the entrance of the Rat we observed the remains of some
old buildings, where [Mr. Charles Jean Baptiste] Chaboillez
wintered in 1796-97. This evening most of the Indians
overtook us, apparently in a good humor. We caught
but few fish, the reason being that, on approaching this
little stream, Red river becomes broader, shallower, and
often interrupted by large rocks, though there is plenty
water for canoes.

Ati£: 2§th. I prevailed upon the Indians to decamp
early. Sent Desmarais with the horse by land, as usual.
The country does not admit of riding ; it is too much over-
grown with thick brush, poplars, and willows. At sunrise
we embarked, and proceeded with great caution, to avoid
running foul of the numerous stones. Came to the first
rocky point, where we found all the Indians had put ashore.
They informed us that they had heard several shots, and
had left orders for us to await their return. I did not
think proper to comply, but proceeded, advising them to
follow, which they did. We soon met some Indians, who
informed us that the shots had been fired by the Red
Sucker Indians who had joined us at Riviere Sale, and who,
having put their families on board canoes, had made a turn
on the meadow, and were shooting buffalo.

We now passed the second rocky point. The current at
both these places is very swift, and the passage winding,
but there is plenty of water ; we got up by means of our
setting-poles. We had no sooner passed this narrow place,

of the Assiniboine at Montagne a la Bosse ; and it was he who corresponded
with Lewis and Clark at the Mandans : see L. and C, ed. 1893, p. 187. He
died at Terrebonne in 1809. A daughter married the geographer, Joseph
Bouchette ; another married Roderick McKenzie ; a third married Simon
McTavish. His son Charles 2d succeeded him ; this is the one who was at the
Mandans in 1806. He died at Terrebonne in 1812, leaving three children,
Charles 3d, Jean, and Marguerite. The name often appears as Chaboilles,
Chaboiller, Chaboillier, Cheboillez, and in some other forms, as Shabboyer and
Shabboyea in Tanner's Narr, Rat r. is rendered Wasushkwatape or Musk-
rat r. in Keating's Long, IL pp. 64, 80.

62 SALT PITS— BUFFALOES.

than one of my canoes ran upon a stone, and would have
sunk, had we not been near to unload her instantly upon
the three others. We dragged her from the stone, and
hauled her ashore, but were so unlucky as to' have mud up
to the waist where we unloaded. This is the second
time this canoe has foundered since leaving the Forks, so
she is now in a sad condition. I left them to repair her,
and went on with the Indians to the first salt pit, where we
camped.

One of the Indians soon arrived, having killed a fine fat
hart [male elk — Cervus canadejisis], which he gave me. We
are now past the stones, and have a gentle current, deep
water, and an ugly, muddy beach ; but beautiful encamp-
ments on the edge of the meadows which, at the turn of
almost every two or three points, come down to within a few
yards of the water's edge. I examined the salt pit, which
lies on the W. side, only a few yards from the river, where
it issues out of the ground ; but the mouth would require
to be dug away to form a kind of basin to dip out the
water. It was late before our damaged canoe joined us,
having broken twice since we left her. Fresh tracks of
moose, red deer, and bears are now so frequent that we
pay no attention to them ; and this afternoon we observed
the tracks of several bulls on the W. side, where they had
come down to drink. The Indians prepared their guns to
hunt buffalo to-morrow.

Aug. 26th. At sunrise we embarked, leaving the Indians
behind. At nine o'clock we found those whom we heard
fire yesterday ; they were waiting for me, with the flesh of
two fat cows, whose d^pouilles [layers of fat under the
skin] were about two inches thick. This was a fine sight
for my people, who, for some days past, had been anxiously
expecting to feast on vache grasse [fat cow beef]. We
embarked the meat, and proceeded ; the Indians' canoes
were just coming in sight. At nine o'clock we passed the
great salt pit on the W. side ; it lies about 200 paces from
the water, at the edge of the plains, where it issues out of

SCRATCHING RIVER. 63

the ground, forming a small basin, whose center seems con-
tinually agitated, bubbling up like a pot of boiling water.
This, I am told, is an excellent place for making salt at all
seasons, as the water never freezes ; but the process is
tedious, and requires a number of large kettles, nine gallons
of water producing only one pint of salt. This is fine and
white, almost like basket salt, having no grain or grit.
Having viewed the salt pit, we proceeded past a heap of
fresh meat which lay on the bank ; we supposed it intended
for the Indians' families, and, therefore, did not touch it,
but came on to the Riviere aux Gratias,*^ where we arrived
.at two o'clock. The Indians were all waiting for us, with

*' Gratia is a Canadian French name of various plants with prickly burrs.
The gratias of the Red River bottoms are two species of stickseed, Echino-
spermum Jloribundum and E. dejlexitm, belonging to the borage family {Borra-
ginacea). They are rough, hairy herbs, a foot or two high, with small blue
flowers in bracted racemes, whose nutlets are garnished with stout prickles.
E. virginictim is a species sometimes called beggar's-lice. The European
species, E. lappiila, is commonly naturalized in the U. S., as a weed in waste
places. Riviere aux Gratias of the F. is sometimes Englished as Gratias r., but
now oftener called Scratching r. , as it has been at least as far back as 1815.
Thompson calls it Burr brook, 1798. Keating's Long, II. 1824, p. 80,
renders "the name of Kaomenakashe, (Gratiats of the French.)" It falls
into Red r. from the W., in the N. E. portion of Tp. 4, R. i, E. of the
princ. merid., in the District of Provencher, and at the town of Morris, where
several railroads now concenter. Scratching r. arises in the N. part of the
Pembina mts., not far S. of the Assiniboine, and takes a general eastward
course, under the name of Riviere aux f lots de Bois (River of Clumps of Trees),
till it is dissipated in some extensive marshes, about the contiguous corners of
Selkirk, Lisgar, and Provencher districts ; regathering from which, and taking
the name of Riviere aux Gratias, it flows S. S. E. to its confluence with Red r.
at Morris, as already said. The course of Scratching r. lies between Riviere
Sale and Pembina r., and also between the S. W. branch of the C. P. Ry.
and the Pacific and Manitoba R. R. Its branches are numerous, but un-
important (one of the largest being Tobacco cr.) ; and the same may be said of
several places on or near them and it. J. Duford built for the X. Y. Co. at
mouth of the river in Sept., 1801, and J. B. Desmarais for the N. W, Co.
there at the same time : see the date beyond. In coming from Rat r. to
Morris, Henry has not given us data to check his progress more closely than
his mention of the rocky points and salt pits may enable us to do ; but we may
note that he has passed successively the places now called Ste. Agathe, Union
Point, Aubigny, and Silver Plains.

64 RAVAGES OF THE BUFFALO.

great heaps of buffalo meat which they had just killed on
the border of the meadow. Here we stopped for the
night.

The Indians told me they had seen a wounded bull,
which must have been shot by the Sioux ; this was enough
to give an alarm. We pitched upon an advantageous spot
at the entrance of the meadow to defend ourselves in case
of attack. The Indians had found the ground on which we
tented covered with buffaloes, and shot several, the car-
casses of which lay near us, only lacking the choice bits.
The ravages of buffaloes at this place are astonishing to a
person unaccustomed to these meadows. The beach, once
a soft black mud into which a man would sink knee-deep, is
now made hard as pavement by the numerous herds coming
to drink. The willows are entirely trampled and torn to
pieces ; even the bark of the smaller trees is rubbed off in
many places. The grass on the first bank of the river is
entirely worn away. Numerous paths, some of which are a
foot deep in the hard turf, come from the plains to the brink
of the river, and the vast quantity of dung gives this place
the appearance of a cattle yard. We have reached the
commencement of the great plains of Red river, where the
eye is lost in one continuous level westward. Not a tree or
rising ground interrupts the view. But on the E. woody
country continues.

Desmarais having arrived with our three horses, I could
not refrain from satisfying my curiosity by taking a ride to
view the buffaloes, having never seen any before.

We took our guns and mounted, whilst our men were
arranging camp. We had gone about a mile when we per-
ceived an animal lying in the grass. We dismounted and
approached upon our bellies within about 30 paces ; it was a
large bull. I desired my companion, who was an old buffalo
hunter, to fire at him as he lay ; this he declined, as buffalo
can seldom be shot dead in that posture ; he begged me
to start the bull with a shot, when he would be ready to
fire. I aimed as best I could for the heart, and let fly —

A BUFFALO HUNT. 65

when behold! the bull fell on his side, stretched out his
legs, neck, and tail, and instantly expired — to my own great
satisfaction, but the sad disappointment of my companion.
Having plenty of meat in the camp we took only the
tongue, leaving the animal for the wolves and crows, of
which we saw many hovering around. Just as we mounted
we perceived a large herd of cows to the southward, moving
down to the river to drink. We rode toward them, and
having got under the bank, which was scarcely high enough
to conceal us, we kept on through the woods at full speed,
in hopes of intercepting them. But in this we failed ; we
found they had drunk and returned to the meadows. No
time was to be lost ; we rode after them at full speed
through the woods which line the river. I was so anxious
to overtake them that I did not take proper care to avoid
the trees, and suddenly my right breast struck full upon the
point of an oak limb as thick as my wrist. Fortunately for
me it broke off. I had not time to examine the wound, but
cleared the woods and sighted the buffaloes, not more than
100 paces off. We gave our horses the rein, and were soon
up with the herd. The dust they raised almost blinded us,
having the wind ahead. My horse was none of the best
hunters ; he was fleet, but timid in closing up with buffaloes.
I could only get a long shot, which fortunately knocked
over a bull. I looked round for my companion and saw
him still near the river, whipping his stubborn horse, which
would not pursue the buffalo. I now examined my wound,
when I found the limb had gone through my jacket, vest,
and shirt, and penetrated the flesh half an inch, just below
the right nipple. Desmarais having joined me, we took the
tongue of the animal only, although he was tolerably fat,
left him for the wolves to devour, and started homeward.
On our way we killed two more bulls.

On our return to camp we found all the men awaiting my
arrival. A council was held, when the chief informed me
of their intention of passing the winter near this river, where
there were bears. They apprehended the danger was too

66 STILL AT SCRATCHING RIVER.

great for them to venture further southward with their
families. They therefore through him expressed their wish
that I would build here and give them some liquor to drink
this evening. This I would not agree to, telling them I
was determined to proceed further up the river, even if I
should go alone ; if they were afraid of the Sioux, they
might remain and join me after my fort was built; and as
for liquor, they should have none at present. This sent
them away in a pet.

My people have now given over fishing, having plenty of
good meat. This evening our horses appeared restless, at
times terrified, and could not be kept from nearing the fire ;
at times they would neigh and snort. This gave alarm, and
obliged us to mount guard until daybreak ; the Indians
appeared very uneasy.

Aug. zjth. I took a walk along Riviere aux Gratias, thus
giving the Indians time to reflect on the answer I made
them last night. None of them appeared in a humor to
decamp, and it was not my wish to press them any further.

This small river rises in the Hair hills [Pembina mts.],
where it at first takes the name of Riviere aux Islettes
de Bois [Wooded Islets river]," and is divided into three
branches which, after leaving the hills, continue through
the level meadows on a winding course for about 20
leagues, with banks partially wooded. The wood then
ceases and the water spreads into a large marsh in the open
plain, upward of 20 leagues in circumference. The river
then separates in two branches, which join again after run-
ning about 25 miles.

The Indians being so obstinately bent upon remaining at
this place, where I was assured there were very few beavers,
I sent for the principal men of the Red Sucker band, and
by many persuasions and promises detached them from the

*^ Not necessarily implying that the river has small wooded islands, but that
it is bordered at intervals by patches or clumps of trees, commonly called
islettes de bois by the voyageurs. I presume islettes would be preferably written
Hots: compare the literary F. phrase Hots de maisons, blocks of houses.

PLUM RIVER — GRAND MARAIS. 67

Saulteurs and prevailed upon them to decamp. Loaded
my canoes and sent them off, whilst I remained to follow
on horseback. The river continues very crooked, which
gave us plenty of leisure to chase buffalo. At two o'clock
we stopped at Plumb [Plum] river to await the canoes.
Tabashaw soon joined us by land, told me a smooth story
of his having prevailed upon the Indians to follow me, and
begged I would camp early, that their canoes might over-
take us this evening ; in the meantime he would remain
with me. My canoes having come up, I desired them to
wait for the Indians. Before I left this place upward of 20
men had joined us by land, having sent their families on by
water. We amused ourselves by lying in wait close under
the bank for the buffaloes which came to drink. When the
poor brutes came to within about 10 yards of us, on a sud-
den we would fire a volley of 25 guns at them, killing and
wounding many, of which we only took the tongues. The
Indians suggested that we should all fire together at one
lone bull which appeared, to have the satisfaction, as they
said, of killing him stone dead. The beast advanced until
he was within six or eight paces, when the yell was given
and all hands let fly ; but instead of falling he galloped off,
and it was only after several more discharges that he was
brought to the ground. The Indians enjoyed this sport
highly — it is true the ammunition cost them nothing. We
now set off to join the canoes, and soon perceived the
smoke where they were camped.

At the Grand Marais, just before we reached them, a
bull rushed up from the water side. I being the only one
on horseback, the Indians wished me to give it chase. I
did so, and was soon near him. I sent a ball through
the liver. The blood instantly gushed out of his nostrils
and mouth, in a stream as thick as my arm ; at the same
time he turned about and plunged at me with his tongue
hanging out of his mouth, and his tail twisted over his back,
presenting a frightful figure. I was surprised at his agility
in attempting to gore my horse ; but I avoided him as best

68 TABASHAW SERIOUS— PLUM RIVER.

I could, until a second shot knocked him down. This was
another diversion for the Indians.

We then went to camp, but very few of the Indian canoes
arrived this evening. Tabashaw and some others slept in
my tent. They were very curious to know what I was
writing every evening, as I never sent away any person
with letters. To satisfy his curiosity, I told him I kept an
exact account of the Indians' behavior ; that every word
they said was put down ; that this memorandum was to be
laid before the gentlemen at Grand Portage next summer,
and that every Indian would be rewarded according to his
deserts — which made Tabashaw look very serious.

Aug-. 28th. Contrary to custom the Indians set out on foot
ahead, telling us they would go and hunt, and requesting
us to wait for their families, which we accordingly did. At
nine o'clock, all having arrived, I sent off my canoes, and
went myself on horseback with Desmarais. We soon over-
took a party of the Indians, who had killed eight fat cows,
three red deer, and four bears. They were busy cutting the
meat up for my peeple to take aboard. I left them there
and soon afterward found another party, who had killed
five cows and were cutting them up. Finding myself now
some distance ahead of my canoes, and perceiving numer-
ous herds of buffaloes along Plumb river, which makes a
bend almost opposite us, I took a ride in the plain to
chase them. Plumb river "' rises in Hair hills in a marsh a
little S. of Buffalo Head [old Tete de Boeuf,or Bull's Head,
now Calf mt.], whence it runs down the hills and through
the level meadows; there it has no wood on its banks,
excepting at one place where a few stunted willows and
chance elms grow. This spot is called [Loge des Boeufs
or] Buffaloes' Tent; it is situated halfway between the
hills and Red river. The drought has been so great this
season that there is scarcely any water in this little river,
and the entrance is dry ground ; this was thought extra-
s' Plum r. is noted by the names of Pekasun or Plumb r. in Keating, II.
1824, p. 80 ; it was dry when Long's party passed in Aug., 1823.

SWAMP RIVER — REED RIVER. 69

ordinary by those acquainted with the country. Having
killed a fat cow, we cut off the choice pieces and took
our course for the entrance of Riviere aux Marais,"
where my people had just arrived. The Indians requested
me to wait here, as some of their families were still far
behind. We accordingly encamped.

This small river receives its water out of several marshes
which lie in the open meadows about six leagues distant,
in a direct line W. S. W. It there runs on a very crooked
winding course before it joins Red river. But the banks
are wooded throughout, principally by oak and bois blanc.
As I knew the Indians desired me to leave people to win-
ter about this place, and having been informed there were
beaver at the entrance of Riviere aux Roseaux," which is
about a mile above us, I went to look for a proper place to
build. I returned about sunset, having pitched upon the

*^ Present name of the small stream which heads in marshes, as Henry says,
about the international boundary of 49° N. between N. Dakota and Manitoba,
flows on a general course N. N. E., and falls into the left side of Red r., a
short distance below the mouth of Roseau r. Thompson calls it Brook of
Swamps, Mar. 13th, 1798, and makes its mouth ^ m. from that of Roseau
r. Keating gives it as Swampy or Petopek r., a mere brook, dry when Long's
party passed in Aug., 1823. In coming here from Morris Henry has passed
places on the W. side of the river called St. Jean Baptiste and Gauthier, and
reached the immediate vicinity of Letellier.

** Present Roseau r., often wrongly Rosseau ; name translated Reed and
Reedgrass r. ; Brook of Reeds of Thompson, 1798; Indian name Pekwionusk r.
also found, in Keating's Long, II. 1824, p. 80. This is a large river, whose stream
Thompson speaks of as not much less than that of Red r. itself. It gathers its
waters in the great swamps W. of Lake of the Woods, above, on, and below
lat. 49° ; its two principal branches, or North and South forks, contribute to
form East Reed r., which, with Pine r., flows into Roseau 1., in the N. E.
corner of Kittson Co., Minn., whence the main stream meanders W. near the
N. border of that county, crosses 49° into the Provencher district of Manitoba,
33 m. E. of Pembina, at or near the boundary between Ranges vii and viii,
E. of the princ. merid. , and thence pursues a circuitous course to empty into
Red r. through the Nashakepenais Indian reserve, which occupies the E. side
of Red r. between Gauthier and St. Pie. The mouth of Reed r. is 13 m. N.
of 49°, nearly opp. Letellier ; the river is crossed at the station Dominion City
by the Emerson branch of the C. P. Ry. The old boundary line of the Red
Lake Indian reservation ran N. E. from Thief r., across various heads of Reed
r., to reach Buffalo pt. on Lake of the Woods.

70 REED RIVER ROUTE.

N. side of the entrance of that river for the spot. The
Indians did not all join us this evening.

Reed river, which I had examined, comes in from the E.
It receives its water from a lake of the same name not
many [about 25] miles W. of Lac des Bois. The lake
receives its waters from a number of rivulets which flow
from all directions excepting the W. These are supplied
by a low marshy country, excepting on the N., where they
take their water from Cypress hills. Reed lake is nearly
filled with small islands of reeds {^Phragmites communis]
and rushes [bulrushes, Scirpus lacustris], and surrounded by
reeds and long grass for about half a mile from the water's
edge. Fish are plenty, such as pike [probably Stizoste-
dion canadense], pois d'ouce, and suckers, with other small
kinds. Sturgeon [Acipenser rubicundiis\ also frequent this
lake in the spring, by way of Reed river. The course of
this river is winding, and interrupted by rapids, occasioned
by frequent reefs of stone crossing the channel. The
banks are well wooded. The country is low, particularly
on the N.; it abounds in moose and red deer, with a few
bears in the winter, when the weather is severe ; buffaloes
also resort here. While the French were in possession,
they frequently passed by this route " to the Assiniboine.

Aug. 2Qth. I was unwell last night, as I imagined, from
the violent exertion of the day before, when the weather
had been hot and sultry. This morning I felt easier, but
weak and languid, from the extraordinary evacuations dur-
ing the night.

" Tanner's Nam, ed. James, 1830, p. 64, speaks of this route : " We then
returned to the Lake of the Woods. From this lake the Indians have a road,
to go to Red River, which the white men never follow ; this is by way of the
Muskeek, or swamp carrying place. We went up a river which the Indians
call Muskeego-ne-gum-me-wee-see-bee, or Swamp River, for several days ; we
then dragged our canoes across a swamp for one day. . . Then we put our
canoes into a small stream, which they called Begwionusk, from the begwionusk,
or cow parsley, which grows upon it ; this we descended into a small Sahkiegun
[lake], which they call by the same name." This last is the Pekwionusk,
Reed or Reedgrass, or Roseau r. It is named as Begwionushko r. on p. 172,
and said to fall into Red r. " about 10 miles below Pembinah."

A QUIET SYMPOSIUM. 71

At twelve o'clock the Red Suckers band arrived, and
camped on the W. side of Red river ; all the Saulteurs
camped on the E. side, exactly opposite us. At three
o'clock I sent for them, to ask who would follow me up
river, and how many would remain here, that I might
assort the goods accordingly. I found only Maymiutch,
Crow, Charlo, Aupersay,^* and Little Crane inclined to go.
All the others, through dread of the Sioux, were deter-
mined to remain about this place, where they told me
there were more beaver than I perhaps imagined. This
point settled, I made them a present of three kegs of mixed
liquor, and sent them to enjoy themselves at their cabins,
whilst I assorted the goods I proposed to leave. The
Indians drank very quietly, but the least noise alarmed
them, and they supposed the enemy to be upon them.
However tumultuous the Saulteurs may be in their drink-
ing-bouts when they apprehend no danger, they acted so
differently on this occasion that they did not seem like the
same band who had been roaring drunk at Riviere la Sale.

At night I was troubled by the visit of a young womart
from the other side, which nearly occasioned an ugly affair.
About ten o'clock she came into my tent without solicita-
tion. I was asleep ; she awoke me and asked for liquor. I
recognized her voice and knew that her husband, the
greatest scoundrel among them all, was exceedingly jealous.
I therefore advised her to return instantly, and not let him
know she had been here. She requested a dram, although
she was sober. I offered her a little mixed liquor, which
she refused, telling me she wanted " augumaucbane." I
was obliged to open my case and give her a glass of French

** Aupersay does not appear in the list on pp. 53, 54, but is no doubt the name
of one of the Indians there listed in equivalent French or English form, though
I have seen a statement that the word is some sort of French for " sword "; it
is elsewhere spelled Arepersay, Aupersoi, etc. Henry presently speaks of
sending the Indians to their " cabins," and also uses the same expression in
various other places ; but we must not suppose that such structures were any-
thing more than rude shelters made of bark for temporary use on the march,
just as we would pitch tents.

72 THE WOMAN IN THE CASE.

brandy, which I made her swallow at one draught ; but
whether it actually choked her or she was feigning, she fell
down as if senseless and lay like a corpse. I was anxious
to get her away, but my endeavors were in vain ; it was
totally dark and I began to believe her dead. I thought to
draw her to the tent door, and woke up my servant, whom
I desired to assist me. I sent him for a kettle of water,
which I poured over her head while he held her up ; a
second was applied in the same manner, but to no purpose.
I became uneasy about her, and sent for a third kettle, the
contents of which I dashed in her face with all my strength.
She groaned, and began to speak. I lost no time before
sending the man to conduct her to her canoe. In a half an
hour she returned, having shifted her clothes and dressed
very fine ; her husband being an excellent hunter and with-
out children, she had always plenty of finery. She told me
in plain terms that she had left her husband and come to
live with me. This was news I neither expected nor
desired. I represented to her the impropriety of her doing
so, her husband being fond of her and extremely jealous.
Her answer was, that she did not care for him or any other
Indian, and was determined to stay with me at the risk of
her life. Just then we heard a great bustle across the river,
and the Indians bawling out " take care ! " We were going
to be fired on. We saw the flash of a gun, but it appeared to
miss fire. I had no doubt the woman was the cause of this,
and I insisted on her returning to her husband ; but she
would not. Observing that the men had made a fire, I
called my servant and desired him to take her to the fire
and keep her from troubling me again. This he did much
against her inclination, being compelled to use main
strength, and by good luck got her on board a canoe that
was crossing. The noise we had heard on the other side
was made by the husband, who, knowing of his wife's inten-
tion, had determined to shoot at my tent ; but his gun only
flashed, and his brothers took it from him. On his wife's
return he asked her where she had been. She made no

BEAUTY RUINED AND FESTIVITIES RESTORED. 73

secret of the matter, but said she was determined to go
with me. " Well, then," said the Indian, " if you are deter-
mined to leave me, I will at least have the satisfaction of
spoiling your pretty face." He caught up a large fire-
brand, threw her on her back, and rubbed it in her face
with all his might, until the fire was extinguished. Then
letting her up, " Now," says he, " go and see your beloved,
and ask him if he likes you as well as he did before." Her
face was in a horrid condition. I was sorry for it ; she was
really the handsomest woman on the river, and not more than
18 years of age. Still, I can say I never had connection
with her, as she always told me if I did that she would pub-
lish it and live with me in spite of everybody. This I did not
wish, as I was well aware of the consequences. Thus ended
a very unpleasant affair, with the ruin of a pretty face.

Aug.joth. The Indians continued drinking ; one of them,
who had received a stab in the knee during the night, came
over for me to dress it. The wound was deep and in an
ugly place. I had no doubt he would be lame the whole
winter. Several of my men purchased dogs from the
Indians for liquor. I was surprised to find they were drink-
ing steadily, as I supposed the rum I had let them have must
have given out. On inquiry I was informed they had a
9-gallon keg of high wine. I instantly examined my bag-
gage, and found one keg wanting in Lagasse's canoe. I
could get no intelligence of this keg, though I found the
place where it had been hauled ashore, a little below camp.
I quarreled and abused them all, but everyone pretended
ignorance. I came back, telling them I would be soon
revenged for their roguery. Not long afterward we saw an
Indian coming down the riverside with the keg on his
shoulder; he beckoned to us to come for him, which we
did, and found it was the keg of high wine, out of which
about a gallon had been taken. I recompensed the fellow
for his trouble, and wished him to inform me who had
stolen the keg ; but he would not tell me, only saying he
had found it in the woods.

74 REVELRY ENDED IN ALARM.

Sunday, Aug. jist. The Indians were sober, though
some of them were troublesome and wanted Hquor ;
others went hunting. I arranged everything with Mr.
Langlois, whom I intended to leave here with half the
property, and was soon ready to proceed on my journey;
but the Indians were continually alarmed. At ten o'clock
one of them returned in a great hurry, telling us he had
seen three horsemen in the meadow going at full speed
southward ; one was mounted on a light-colored horse. In
a few minutes Gueule Platte arrived and said he had been
pursued by three horsemen, who attempted to intercept his
route to camp ; but his horse being fresh and more fleet
than theirs, he escaped. He seemed to be in a great
fright. This news spread alarm in the Indian camp on the
opposite shore. All the women fell to work instantly to
dig holes in the ground on the bank for themselves and
their children to hide in. The Red Suckers band did not
stir from my camp, saying they would die with us. Two
of them set off with one of my men on horseback, on dis-
coveries [i. e., to scout or reconnoiter]. We arranged our
baggage and camp as advantageously as the ground would
permit. The Indians wished me to cross the river and
camp with them, telling me that the Sioux, having nothing
to interrupt their passage, would rush upon us and destroy
us before we could put ourselves in any state of defense ;
whereas, upon the other side, the enemy would have the
river to cross to attack us. I declined this proposal, tell-
ing them I did not believe there was any real danger. My
notion in keeping my ground was to convince the Indians
that I did not fear any danger, as by this means I hoped
to get more of them to follow me. Had I appeared
alarmed their fright would have been still greater, and prob-
ably they would all have returned below. I went over to
see their trenches. There were three principal ones about
20 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 4 feet deep. These were
intended for the men to defend themselves in, whilst the
women and children lie close on the bottom. I was sur-

ALARM CONTINUED— COUNCIL HELD. 75

prised to see how expeditious they had been, having neither
hoes nor spades. They- used axes to cut the earth ; the
women and children with their hands threw it into kettles
and on blankets, and then tossed it up. At five o'clock the
discovering [scputing] party returned, having been on the
spot where Gueule Platte said he had been pursued. They
saw the tracks of three red deer, which must have been the
cause of his fright. I have often , observed that the red
deer, particularly at this season, when their horns are full
grown, have at a distance a great resemblance to horsemen.
The women and children lay in their trenches all night,
the men in their cabins. I kept watch during the night,
for I suspected the Saulteurs were rogues enough to give
us a false alarm, to induce me to winter here and send
nobody above, or even to return below, where they appre-
hended no danger.

Monday, Sept. ist. Early this morning the Sucker band
again set out on discoveries, and we soon heard several
shots on the plain. This was certainly the Sioux, who had
laid in wait and killed them. The Indians flew to arms,
and ran to the meadows ; but I contented myself with
sending two men, whilst I remained with the others to take
care of my property. At ten o'clock they all returned
loaded with meat, the Red Suckers having fired on a herd
of buffalo and killed several. Next, one of my horses
was missing, and the Indians insisted that the enemy had
taken him. I sent six men to search for him. At five
o'clock the discovering party returned. Mr. Langlois,
whom I had sent with them, informed me that they had
been to the Grand Passage on Panbian [Pembina] river,
where they found a bull fresh killed, and another with a
broken leg; and thought this must have been done by
our men. To this the Saulteurs would not agree, and held
a council whether they should return to the Forks or
remain here ; but I paid no more attention to them, seeing
they did all in their power to prevent one from going
above. Tabashaw was perpetually urging them to return

•J^) LIQUOR SAMPLED BY EXPERTS.

to the Forks and go thence to Portage la Prairie, but I cir-
cumvented his proceedings so well that he always failed.
The Red Suckers band were the only ones who appeared
inclined to follow me. I informed them I intended to
resume my journey to-morrow morning, but they begged
for one day more to go again on discoveries along Red
river, which I promised them.

Sept. 2d. Early this morning two parties of the Sucker
band set off, some afoot, some on horseback. The Indians
who were to remain insisted on taking their debts ; but I
put them off, as I thought they were too unsettled in mind
at present. I hired one to go in search of my horse, but
he was unsuccessful.

This evening I had a joke on my two seconds. I had a
small keg of bad West India rum, which I broke open.
Langlois was the first to taste it. He smacked his lips, and
said it was the best French brandy he had ever tasted.
Desmarais was then helped ; he observed that French
brandy was the only liquor of which he was a competent
judge ; that his friend had often attempted to deceive him
by adulterating that liquor, but that he always discovered
the cheat. He, too, began to smile, tasted, and smacked
his lips, swearing it was real cognac, the only liquor he
relished. Great praises were bestowed by them both on
the flavor and richness of French brandy, as superior to
any other spirits. I had a hearty laugh when I told them
it was bad West India rum.

Sept. 3d. Early this morning a party went after their
friends who left yesterday. An Indian child fell into the
river, and was at the point of drowning, when an Indian
jumped in, and drew up the child in a state of insensibility ;
it was some time before it recovered. Langlois and Des-
marais had a glass of colored high wine to-day, which they
praised as the best West India rum they ever drank ;
" how nice and pleasant," said they ; " unlike that nasty
strong stuff, high wine." I had a second laugh at them,
when they swore never more to pretend to judge liquor.

THE BRIGADE AGAIN DIVIDED. 'J'J

Notwithstanding buffaloes and other animals are so
numerous, we are again obliged to depend upon our hooks
and lines. We take plenty of catfish and lacaishe. The
Indians are too much alarmed to hunt, and I think it pru-
dent to send my own men. At two o'clock the discovering
party returned, but had seen only two or three wounded
bulls, and a dead one, which must have been shot by some
of us, I sent Langlois in two canoes with his baggage to
camp at the entrance of Reed river, on the spot where I
intended he should build. The canoes having returned, we
gummed and prepared for departure to-morrow, giving one
of my large canoes to the Indians to embark their families,
as they supposed they would be safer all together, in one
large canoe, than separated in small ones. I leave exactly
one-half of my goods here, in charge of Michel Langlois.

Those who remain here are : Langlois, wife, and child ;
Lagass6 and wife ; Masson [wife, and two children ?J ;
Hamel, Roy, Dubois, Pouliot, and the wife and two children
of Desmarais; total, i6.*'

Those who go above are : myself, Desmarais, Bellegarde,
Daisville, Roger \sic\ Benoit, Larocque, sr., Larocque,
jr., Beauchemin, Lafrance, Barbe, Charbonneau, McDon-
ald, and Pierre (the negro). Thus we are 14 men, and we
have not one woman or child with us.

«9 Compare the list on pp. 49-52. The copy before me gives " 16 " total. The
discrepancy occurs in the case of Masson, of whose family nothing appears in
the former list, but who is here credited with a representation of " 4 " persons.

CHAPTER III.

THE PARK RIVER POST, 180O-OI.

^ff EPT. 4th. Loaded my canoes, and went along with
'^ them to the river, when, giving all hands a dram, I
sent them off. I remained some time with Langlois,
directing him to equip Indians, and send them inland as
soon as possible ; that done, he was to make up a small
assortment of goods for Hair hills, and send Lagasse with
two men to build a hut there. I had previously settled
with Nanaundeyea to guide them and point out the place
where they should build. I had been given by him to
understand that we should see some Crees and Snakes, who
generally hunt opposite this place in the hills. But he tells
me it is too early to go there now. It is the common war
road of the Sioux at this season ; therefore, they should
not set out until about Oct. ist, when he supposes there
will be little or no danger. I left one horse with Langlois
for this purpose, and took the other two with me. Des-
marais rides one, and I the other. Owlshead and Ponis '
bid farewell to all hands, white and black, the latter telling
me that in a month's time the Sioux would dance to some
of our scalps. At ten o'clock Desmarais and myself
mounted, and went after our canoes. I could not at this
time say how many Indians were going with me ; they
appeared mostly inclined to remain. We came on to the
Grand Marais, where we shot a bull and some wild fowl,
and soon overtook my people, who were camped on a
pretty spot at the Eagle's Nest, in the open meadow [in the
vicinity of present Dufferin]. Our tents at a distance had

' Two names which have not appeared before, but are doubtless synonyms of
two Indians already listed on pp. 53, 54.

ON TO PEMBINA. 79

a beautiful effect. It is not more than three leagues in a
direct line from where we started this morning. The
country for two miles from the river is overgrown by low
willows. The course of the river is very crooked ; the cur-
rent is smooth, and in some places rather strong, but there
are no rapids. The land on the E. side is well wooded for
a mile in depth ; then succeed low poplars and willows for
two miles more, where the plains commence. This evening
the following Indians and their families camped with me:
Maymiutch ; Crooked Legs ; Aupersay ; Charlo ; Acegue-
manche ; Liard ; Crow ; Little Crane. These eight men
were all I expected to go with me.

Sept. ^th. Early I sent the Indians ahead on discoveries;
they had but one horse among them. At nine o'clock I
sent off the canoes ; Desmarais and myself proceeded by
land. We Ccime to Panbian [Pembina '^J river and crossed it

"^ Henry is near the parallel of 49° N. when he starts, and soon crosses the
line, passing from Manitoba into N. Dakota as he goes up the W. side of
Red r., and having Minnesota on the E. In so doing he goes through West
Lynn, Man., opposite which is Emerson, Man., and through Huron, N. Dak.,
at once ; but it is still some little distance to Pembina, N. Dak., opposite which
is St. Vincent, Minn.; then comes the mouth of Pembina r. , close to which
were Chaboillez's and Grant's houses ; and it is then a little way to the U. S.
Fort Pembina, N. Dak. So many points so near together naturally raise the
question, where does the forty-ninth parallel cross Red r.? The full answer
would involve a long history of international endeavor to fix the position of the
line. David Thompson was here Mar. I4th-2ist, 1798, as the guest of the elder
Chaboillez, in whose house he spent the week observing, drawing, and writing.
He determined the position of the house to be lat. 48° 58' 24" N., long. 97'
16' 40" W. He also says that there were 95 Chippeway men about the place,
trading with the N. W. Co. and H. B. Co., showing that the latter had also a
post at that time. Aug. 5th, 1823, Major Long's party arrived on the ground, for
the purpose of determining and marking the parallel, some question concerning
which had meanwhile arisen. He planted a flagstaff in what he called Camp
Monroe, in honor of the President of the U. S., and its position was determined
by repeated observations to be 48'' 59' 57.20" N. The required distance to 49°
being measured off, an oak post was set up to mark the boundary, lettered G. B.
on the N. side and U. S. on the other ; guns were fired, and the major pro-
claimed the result with due ceremony. But in April, 1870, when the U. S.
military reservation for Fort Pembina was located, it was found by the engineers
in charge of that work that the recognized boundary was nearly a mile (some

8o OLD HOUSES AT PEMBINA.

to the old fort which was built in 1797-98 by Mr. Chaboillez.
Opposite the entrance of this river, on the E. side of Red
river, are the remains of an old fort built by Mr, Peter

4,700 feet) too far S. This discovery led directly to the establishment of the
U. S. Northern Boundary Commission, which worked in 1872-76 in co-operation
with a corresponding British Commission, and ran the line from the Lake of
the Woods to the Rocky mts., a distance of about 850 m. The determination
of 49" on the Red r. was made in 1872, and is still in force : see note ''^^ p. 25.
I well remember the agitation of the subject in June, 1873, when I arrived with
Major Twining and other officers at Fort Pembina, then a well-built and
garrisoned military post, where we made our headquarters before taking the
field westward. We were transported from Moorhead in a steamboat belong-
ing to James J. fiill, since the distinguished president of the G. N. Ry.

Chaboillez's house was built in 1797, the same year that he abandoned his
position on Rat r. ; he wintered here 1797-98, but, as we see, had left it in
1800, when Henry came by. His post became known as Fort Paubna, which
stood on the S. side of present Pembina r., at or near its mouth. Grant's earlier
one was on the E. side of Red r., about opposite, thus nearly or exactly on the
site of present St. Vincent. (Compare May 17th, 1801, beyond.) The exact
date of Grant's house seems to have been lost, but was no doubt early in the
'go's. Peter Grant was born 1764 ; he entered the N. W. Co. as clerk in 1784,
and became a partner in 1791 ; was at Lac la Rouge with one Desmarais in
1789 ; built a post on R. la Coquille in 1794 ; was met by Thompson near Grand
Portage, July 20th, 1797 ; was proprietor of the Rainy Lake post in 1799, and
afterward in charge of the Red River department, in which most of his active
life was spent. He signed the Montreal articles of agreement of Nov. 5th,
1804, by his attys. On retiring he settled at St. Anne, Bout de I'lle, and died
at Lachine in 1848. Peter is to be distinguished from several contemporaneous
Grants in the fur-trade and especially from Cuthbert Grant. The latter was
sent in 1786 with one Leroux, by Peter Pond, to Great Slave 1., to establish at
or near the mouth of Great Slave r. the post later called Fort Resolution ; he
wrecked two canoes and drowned five men on Slave r. , at a place hence called
Portage des Noyes. He was at Fort Chipewyan Sept. 12th, 1789, the day that
A. McKenzie returned there from the Arctic ocean. He is named by D.
Thompson at Grand Portage, July 22d, 1797, as agent of the N. W. Co. for
"back of Red River"; he and Thompson traveled together that year to his
post of 1797-98, on the Assiniboine, 21 m. below the Elbow, lat. 51" 26' 10" N.,
long. 101° 57' 03" W., according to Thompson's observations. He arrived at
Grand Portage again July 2d, 1798, and died in 1799, before Aug. of that year.
David Grant, who was in the N. W. Co. in 1789, or earlier, is called in 1796 an
experienced old trader, at that time in opposition to the N. W. Co. James Grant
was clerk and interpreter of the N. W. Co. in the Fond du Lac Department in
1804. The Grant whom Pike met on the upper Mississippi in 1805-06 is no-
where mentioned by his first name : see Pike, ed. 1895, pp. 133, 136, 137, 139,

PEMBINA RIVER AND MOUNTAINS. 8 1

Grant some years ago ; this was the first estabhshment [of
the N. W. Co.] ever built on Red river.

Panbian river ^ takes its rise out of the Ribbone lakes or

140, 142, 144, 146, 155, 156, 175, 176, 180, 184, 189, 190, 191, 261. The in-
terval between Peter Grant and C. J. B. Chaboillez is a blank for Pembina ;
.thus Tanner "found no people, whites or Indians," when he got there (proba-
bly in summer of 1797, though his dates are all slippery). To the foregoing
posts at the mouth of Pembina r., add the one Henry caused Langlois to build
in the summer of iSoi, on the N. side: see May I7th-I9th, 1801, beyond ; add
the one the H. B. Co. started to build on the E. side of Red r., Sept. 13th,
1801 : see that date beyond ; add the X. Y. Co. house built by J. Crebassa,
Sept., 1801. After Henry's time, in the fall of 1812, Fort Daer was built by the
H. B. Co. on the N. side of Pembina r. and W. side of Red r., site of present
Pembina town, and named for Baron Daer (Lord Selkirk). In the spring of
1823 the H. B. post and Catholic mission moved down to Fort Douglas ; and
that summer the town had grown up to about 60 cabins, with 350 persons, of
whom two-thirds were half-breeds, the rest Swiss and Scotch settlers (Keating).
In 1870 the H. B. Co. were still maintaining an establishment there, on sup-
posed British soil ; this they were allowed to retain, on request and by courtesy,
pending the final readjustment of the boundary.

^ The sources of Pembina r. are on the N. and N. E. slopes of Turtle mt.,
W. of the Pembina mts., about long. 100". The lakes of which Henry speaks
are somewhat further E. Rib Bone translates F. Placotte correctly, but is
easily corrupted to Ribbon and even Riband. We hear of placottes when it is
a matter of taking out certain rib pieces in cutting up buffalo ; and we observe
that Tanner says, p. 133 : " We went to Pekaukaune Sahkiegun, (Buffalo Hump
Lake,) two days' journey from the head of Pembinah River." Three of the
largest of these lakes are now called Pelican, Rock, and Swan ; between the
first two of these are two small ones. Lake Lome and Lake Louise, lately
named for personages prominent in Canadian politics and society. At Swan 1.,
where there is an Indian reserve of that name, occupying nearly a town-
ship, the river is at its northernmost bend. Thence its general course is about
S. E. till it crosses the parallel of 49° about 10 m. W. of long. 98°, not far
from a place called Elkwood, Thence it continues in North Dakota, running
S. E. in Cavalier Co., and then nearly E. through Pembina Co.; but it almost
touches 49" again near Gretna, Man., where a branch of the Canadian Pacific
meets one of the Great Northern Ry. The approximation to the boundary is
closer there, in fact, than at the mouth of the river. The Pembina has many
tributaries, but the principal branch is Tongue r., which falls in through Pem-
bina Co. about 4 m. up stream from the town of Pembina.

Henry's Hair hills are those now known as Pembina mts., though hardly to
be dignified as such. They form for a long distance the western boundary of
the valley of the Red r. , and to the same extent represent the eastern edge of
the prairie plateau which stretches thence westward to the Coteau of the Mis-

82 PEMBINA RIVER AND MOUNTAINS.

Lacs du Placotte, a chain of lakes running about E. S. E.
on the W. side of the Hair hills. Its first course is about

souri, though they are for the most part well wooded. The eastern acclivity of
the range is greatest about lat. 49° N., on and near the boundary of the U. S. ,
whence it gradually subsides into rolling prairie, both N. and S. of that parallel.
It is difficult to say how long and broad these hills are, from their extreme
irregularity and very gradual sloping in all directions, as well as the elasticity
of the name as used by different persons ; but the Hair hills or Pembina
mts. , more properly so called, lie nearly N. and S., mainly in the Dakotan
counties of Nelson, Grand Forks, Walsh, Cavalier, and Pembina, and extend
thence into the district of Lisgar in Manitoba. Pembina r. is a large stream
which traverses a gorge eastward to seek the Red r. , running N. first in Mani-
toba and then in N. Dak., and falling in close to the boundary. Scratching
r. takes a similar course in Manitoba, further N. , while in Dakota the principal
other streams which flow eastward into Red r. from these elevations, suc-
cessively from N. to S., are Park r., Salt r., Turtle r., and Goose r. Pembina
r. enters Red r. in Pembina Co., N. Dak., 2 m. S. of 49°, between the town
of Pembina and Fort Pembina ; 4 m. above its mouth it receives Tongue r., its
principal tributary, coming from the S. W. Henry traversed his Hair hills
repeatedly, in various directions, and has much to say about them, during his
residence at different places in the Red River dept. His use of the term
is broad enough to cover not only the Pembina mts. in strictness, but all
the elevated country on the \V. of the Red River basin. He seldom, if ever,
uses the name Pembina in any form for these hills; but consistently applies it
to the river in the forms Panbian and Paubian, occasionally Panibian or Pern-
bian, very rarely Panbina, etc. The word, which occurs in various other forms,
as Paubna, etc., is clipped from the Ojibway name of a certain acid red berry,
the fruit of Viburnum opubis. This is a caprifoliaceous plant, commonly
called cranberry-tree, or high cranberry-bush; the varieties which produce the
edible berries have been named V. oxycoccus and V. edule ; a cultivated sterile
variety is the well-known snowball-bush or guelder-rose. This plant is not
related botanically to the true cranberries ( Vacciniiun oxycoccus and V. macro-
carport). The b in the name Pembina is intrusive, for the word is anepemi-
nan, from nepin, summer, and minan, berry, or, as others say, nipi-mina.
Tanner, who could not talk English when he was on Red r. in Henry's time,
but spoke a sort of Ojibway, probably of the Court Oreille or Ottawa dialect,
says, p. 80 : "at this place, (since called Pembinah,) where the Nebenninahne-
sebee enters Red River," etc.; his editor. Dr. James, translates this High
Craneberry r., and renders Red r. from Miskwawgumme-wesebee. Keating's
Long, II. 1824, p. 42, has: "a small stream, called by the Chippewas
Anepeminan sipi." Larocque's Mandan journal, 1804-05, in Masson, I. 1889,
has Pain Binatat, p. 313, and Pimbina elsewhere. In 1798 Thompson
Englished the name as Summer Berry r. The fruit itself is still so called.
The accent of the word Pembina is on the first syllable.

TONGUE RIVER— A FALSE ALARM. 83

E. for many leagues. The valley through which it runs is
about two miles broad, bounded by high hills which are
practically wooded. It then bends S. E. for about the same
distance, when it turns E. and enters the great level plains,
where its banks are well lined with large wood, to its junc-
tion with Red river, after the confluence of Tongue river,
which comes from the S. W. This takes its waters from'
several branches that are supplied by small lakes on the
Hair hills ; the streams join about two leagues before they
empty into Red river.

We had a quarter of a mile of strong wood* to pass
through on either side of Panbian river to reach the plains.
Having seen my canoes pass at this place, we proceeded
through a narrow winding path to the open country, when
suddenly we heard the neighing of a horse, apparently in
pursuit of us. Desmarais and myself instantly held a
council. Who could it be? Our Indians had but one
horse and he was gone ahead ; we had seen his tracks
where he had crossed the little river. It must be the
Sioux— there was no time to lose ! We turned off from
the path a few paces and took our stand behind some large
oaks, where we primed our guns and remained in suspense.
But in a few moments we perceived Aupersay coming on
Crow's mare. This was an agreeable surprise. He had
chased a herd of red deer on the S. side of Panbian river,
where he took to the woods in pursuit of them and crossed
the river; but killed none. He came down upon the N.
side to look for us, and observing where we had crossed had
followed us. We three went on together, and soon over-
took the Indians, who were approaching a herd of cows.
Bulls were so numerous that, though we passed them at
about 100 paces, they did not run, but only turned to stare
at us. For three miles beyond Panbian river the ground is

* A phrase of frequent recurrence in Henry, translating F. dots for ( or dots
forts, which he also uses. It means thick woods, or, as we should say, heavy
timber. Some bands of Indians living in wooded country are distinguished from
others by the same term.

84 TWO RIVERS — IMPROMPTU BULL FIGHT.

overgrown with willows, which are twisted and torn up by
red deer in many places. We saw several droves at the end
of these willows. We then came upon a level plain, with no
woods whatever except what lined Red river, which stretched
ahead of us as far as the eye could reach. To the N. W.
appeared a few spots of wood on the banks of Tongue river.
We came to two small lakes, which were covered with
swans, geese, and ducks of various kinds ; white and gray
cranes were also numerous. We next passed opposite Two
Rivers,^ where I thought proper to wait for my canoes,
whilst the Indians went hunting red deer, which, being now
in the rutting season, are heard in every direction except-
ing toward the plains.

I desired Desmarais to order my people to camp here,
whilst I went on horseback with Crow to chase a bull we
saw near at hand. But he declined, saying his horse was
too weak. I pursued the bull alone. Just as I came up to
him at full speed and prepared to fire, my horse suddenly
stopped. The bull had turned about to face my horse,
which was naturally afraid of buffaloes and startled at such
a frightful object ; he leaped to one side to avoid the bull.
As I was not prepared for this I was pitched over his head,
and fell within a few yards of the bull's nose ; but fortu-
nately for me he paid no more attention to my horse than
to me. The grass was long and I lay quiet until a favorable
opportunity offered as he presented his placotte. I dis-

* Present name of a stream in Kittson Co., Minn., so called because its two
main courses unite but little above its entrance into Red r. The county seat,
Hallock, is on the largest stream, as are other places, named Hazleton, Percy,
Pelan, and Greenbush; on the other fork is Northcote. The G. N. Ry. crosses
both branches at Hallock and Northcote respectively, between Kennedy and
Fairview. There is no named place at the mouth of Two Rivers; but opposite
it, at a little distance, is Joliette, on the N. P. R. R. Hallock was founded a few
years ago by my friend Charles Hallock, Esq., formerly of New York, as a sort
of sportsman's resort. Mr. Hallock and I were fellow travelers in Labrador in
i860. He established Forest and Stream in New York in 1873, and long
edited that still flourishing weekly. He is the author of the Sportsman's Gaz-
etteer and many other writings, and when I last heard from him, in 1895, was
living at Moorhead, N. C: see Pike, ed. 1895, p. 326.

TWO RIVERS— ANOTHER FALSE ALARM. 85

charged both barrels of my double gun at him ; he turned
and made one plunge toward me, but had not time to
repeat it before he fell, with his nose not more than three
paces off. I must acknowledge he gave me a fright. Mv
horse had gone at full speed in search of Crow's mare I
returned to Desmarais on foot. Crow had gone hunting
red deer. ^

At five o'clock the canoes arrived and camped. My men
told me they had seen a great many red deer and bears
crossmg the river ; large herds were seen at every turn of
the river The Indians on board the canoes killed four
otters \_Lutra canadensis] and three beavers. They com-
plamed of my men making so much noise all day that it
prevented them from killing bears and other large animals.
Ihis evening the hunters returned, having killed four biches
and one bull, all extremely fat.

Two Rivers, opposite which we are camped, derives its
name from the circumstance of dividing about three, miles
from Its mouth into two forks, each of which after its
separation takes a contrary course, one southward and the
other northward ; these forks are again divided into many
other smaller branches, which come from a considerable
distance, and take their waters out of large marshes W. of
Lac des Bois. Near the entrance of this river is an excel-
lent salt pit.

Sept. 6th. The Indians set out early, going ahead by
land to hunt. At nine o'clock the canoes got off. I soon
followed on horseback, but had not gone over two leagues
when I found the Indians waiting for me. They had killed
four bears and eight red deer. While I waited for my
canoes the Indians began to talk about liquor.

At one o'clock the canoes arrived and gave us a momen-
tary alert [alarm, by] saying they had seen fresh horse
dung below the points, where two horses had drunk yester-
day. The fellows were in such a hurry to tell me this news
that they did not properly describe the place, but gave us
wrong information. It made all hands very uneasy, when

86 CONTINUALLY ON THE ALERT.

the Indians said they would go no further. But on further
inquiry I found it was Crow's mare and my horse that had
occasioned the alarm. I wished to prevail upon the Indians
to proceed, but in vain. Their excuse was that they wished
to kill a few bears to make oil, and procure some red deer
skins. They told me if I would give them some liquor for
the meat they had given me they would remain here four
days only, and would then follow me as far as Park river ;
but if I passed that place they would all return below.
Observing this to be their settled plan, I gave them half a
keg of mixed liquor and some tobacco, telling them I would
go ahead to look out for a proper place to build a fort. I
then sent off the canoes. The Indians again told me that
if I went higher up than Park river they were determined
to return, as they would not risk their families to follow me
any further than that into the Sioux country. We followed
our canoes, leaving the Indians to enjoy their liquor. We
had not gone over a mile when we saw some people run-
ning afoot in the plains. On perceiving us they seemed to
hide in the long grass and only show their heads as if to
examine our motions. Desmarais and myself were at a
loss how to act. I was uneasy about my canoes, and to
return to the Indians without being fully satisfied would
not answer. We therefore had but one way to act. We
knew our horses were good runners and long-winded, and
the people we saw were on foot. We primed our guns and
advanced toward them at full gallop; they kept their
ground. We soon observed they wore hats, which was a
pleasant sight. We came up to them and found they were
some of our men busy digging young wolves out of their
holes. They had seen a large drove on the beach and
pursued them for a joke. I desired the men to embark
and proceed with all possible dispatch to the Bois Perc6.
Desmarais and myself went ahead, determined to have no
more false alarms. On approaching the Bois Perce we
found immense herds of buffalo, which appeared to touch
the river and extend westward on the plains as far as the

BUFFALO AT BOIS PERCE— BEAR KILLED. 87

eye could reach. The meadows were aHve with them. On
the E. side of the river we now for the first time saw
buffaloes; they appeared to be fully as many as there were
on the W. side. This is the first place we have found in
coming up the river where the plain on that side comes
down to the water and forms an open communication with
that of the W. side. It is from this circumstance that this
spot derives its name of Bois Perce.

As we did not wish to raise the buffalo, we tied our
horses on the spot where I wished my people to camp.
Desmarais and I went after buffalo ; we soon crawled
within gunshot, and each opened fire in turn, keeping our-
selves concealed as much as possible in the long grass. At
every shot they would start, but did not appear inclined
to run off. We both emptied our powder horns, and by
that time several cows were down. Having no more ammu-
nition we went to dress our cows ; but the herd started and
with them all our wounded cows — not one remained on the
spot. We were mortified to have fired so many shots to no
purpose. We came back to where we had left our horses,
and found the canoes had just arrived.

Whilst we were arranging camp I saw a bear on the E.
side of the river, a little above us, coming down to drink.
I crossed over and followed him ; he soon stopped within
a few paces and ran up a large oak. I shot him between
the shoulders and he fell to the ground like a log, but in a
moment was scampering away as fast as he could. I traced
him by the blood and soon found him sitting under a brush-
heap, grumbling and licking his wounds. A second shot
dispatched him. By the hideous scream he uttered when
he fell from the tree I imagined he was coming at me, and
was waiting for him with my second barrel cocked when he
ran off. I went for my two men, and it was hard work for
us three to draw him to the canoe ; he was very fat. I
found that my first ball had gone through his heart. I
was surprised that he should have been so active after a
wound of that kind.

88 VOYAGE CONTINUED IN DREAD OF THE SIOUX.

The ground along the river is worn down by the buffalo,
especially at every bend of the river westward, where the
plains run down to the water, and where the herds come
day and night to drink, returning to the plains to feed.
The Bois Perce, near which we are camped, has been a great
crossing-place for many years. The ground on both sides
is worn as smooth as a pavement, and the number of roads
at the crossing, some of which are a foot deep, is really
surprising. Considering the hard sod through which these
tracks are beaten, I am at a loss to form any idea how
many herds must have passed. My people saw many rac-
coons in the course of the day, and shot four.

Sunday, Sept. yth. At nine o'clock sharp I sent off the
canoes. The river makes a bend to the W. for some miles,
when it resumes its southern direction. The river is deep,
as at the forks, and the current is not very strong ; no
stones are to be seen. Desmarais and myself kept on ahead
of the canoes. We saw buffalo in abundance, but did not
disturb them, having plenty of fresh meat. At twelve
o'clock we waited for the canoes ; they arrived in three
hours, when it began to rain, and we camped.

They had difBculty in coming up some shallow places,
where the channels were narrow and dif^cult to find
amongst the lumps of clay. Our situation not being
proper for defense, and the rain coming on, I sent off the
canoes, whilst Desmarais and myself went on ahead. We
found a young bull with a broken leg. We killed him to
examine the wound and found he had been shot with ball
in two places ; this made us rather uneasy. For the first
time I perceived that Desmarais feared the Sioux were at
hand. However, we determined to say nothing about this
affair to the men, who were getting very uneasy and wished
me to pitch upon a place to build a fort. We came on
about three miles and waited for the canoes. Here we saw
another wounded bull, which increased our anxiety. The
buffalo, however, appeared to be quiet. Whilst we waited
for the canoes, several herds on the E. side came down to

PARK RIVER REACHED. 89

drink. We observed, also, on the opposite beach no fewer
than seven bears drinking, all at the same time. The red
deer were whistling in every direction, but our minds were
not sufficiently at ease to enjoy our situation. A large
white wolf, prowling rather imprudently, came within a few
yards of us, and I shot him dead. When the canoes
arrived the men swore they had seen horse tracks along the
shore, but I did not believe them, as I supposed it to be
buffalo tracks. Desmarais and myself nearly made the
same mistake. On arrival at the Bois Perce yesterday we
found the fresh track, as we supposed, of a horse along the
beach, where the ground was too hard for the print of the
hoof to penetrate ; we followed it for some distance, per-
suaded it was a horse track, till, coming to a soft spot, we
perceived the cleft prints of a buffalo's hoofs. About dusk
it began to rain hard, and continued through the night. I
had great difTficulty to keep my horse from going back in
search of Crow's mare ; he is a headstrong, powerful beast,
and requires a strong double codline to hold him.

Sept. 8th. The rain ceased, but the wind continued
strong and cold. At eight o'clock I sent the canoes off \
Desmarais and myself went on horseback. The buffaloes
were all in motion, crossing from E. to W. side of the river,
and directing their course toward the Hair hills as fast as
they could walk. We chased several herds, and had fine
sport, but killed only two fine fat cows. We each carried
a small load of meat down to the river, for the canoes to
take as they passed by. Here I lost one of my spurs. We
determined to run buffalo no more, as it might be the
means of our discovery by the Sioux. Having hung up
the meat in a tree near the river, we set out, and did not
stop until we reached Park river,^ at two o'clock. Here we

*Park r., orig. R. aux Pares of the F., arises by many headwaters in the
elevated lands which continue S. from the Pembina mts., draining S. E. and
then E. into the Red r. Some of its upper waters are in Cavalier and Pem-
bina COS., N. Dak.; but most of these, and the whole of the main stream which
they compose, run in Walsh Co., and empty about the S. E. section of the N,

90 PARK RIVER EXAMINED.

found a wounded bull, which I killed to examine. The
wound was occasioned by a ball not many days past. Des-
marais said it had been done by an arrow. We tied our
horses at the entrance of this little [Park] river, and
searched for a proper spot to build, as I saw it was useless
for me to attempt going further. I was well assured the
Indians would not follow me. My men began to murmur
very much ; even Desmarais, who is a veteran, and one of
the first who ever came up this river, seriously advised me
to think about building. We went up [Park] river about a
mile, when we fell in with two large harts ; we killed one,
and wounded the other, but did not go after him. Took
off the skin and cut up the meat ; the fat was four inches
thick upon the rump. Being very thirsty, we attempted to
drink at the river, but found the water a perfect brine.
Having put our meat in safety for the night, and discov-
ered this salt-water [Park] river, which is the first I have
seen in this country, and on which I saw it would be
impossible to build, even were the woods proper, we
returned to our horses, and, as night was approaching,
deferred our search until to-morrow. The entrance of this
river is frequented by buffalo, red deer, moose, and bears ;
indeed, it appears that the higher we go, the more
numerous are red deer and bears. On the beach raccoon
tracks are plentiful. Wolves are numerous and insolent.

About dark the canoes arrived, the men fatigued and in
bad humor. They had again seen a wounded buffalo on the
E. side of Red river, and a bunch of leaves laid upon the
shore .where some person had drank. This had given them

E. township of this county. Two of the principal tributaries are South and
Middle forks ; a third is called Cart cr. ; this is joined by the N. fork ; the
stream resulting from the confluence of Cart cr. with the Middle fork is joined
by the South fork, a short distance above Grafton, county seat of Walsh, which
is situated on the main Park r., about I2 m. in an air-line W. of Red r. In
coming to this place from Two Rivers, Henry has passed Pittsburgh and Dray-
ton, N. Dak., both on the river, and the latter on the N. P. R. R.; and has
passed successively opp. Mattson, Teien, and Robbin, Minn., but has not
come as far as opp. the mouth of Snake r., which runs in Marshall Co., Minn.

SITE OF PARK RIVER POST SELECTED. 9!

a serious alarm, and had I not told them this morning that
I should stop here, I beUeve they would have returned.
They had met with some shallow places, and had trouble
to find their passage amongst the lumps of clay. They
had seen a great number of sturgeon at those shallow
places, and had killed one with my ax, which made us a
good supper.

Sept. gth. Early this morning I sent four men for the
meat, who soon returned with it on their backs. I went in
search of a proper place to build. I found none so well
situated for defense, with timber at hand, as a point of
wood on the W. side, about a quarter of a mile from
the entrance of Park river, with a beautiful level plain
intervening. I should have preferred to build at the
entrance, but there was no wood on the one side, and the
land was too low on the other. We also examined the
E. side of Red river, but there the land was low, subject to
overflow in the spring, with no wood but very large elms
and oaks, too heavy for the men to stir.

This being settled, the canoes drifted down to the place
I had chosen. Our first work was to unload and carry our
baggages and canoes up the hill, which is about 30 feet
high. We then arranged camp in the best order possible
for defense, and made a suitable stage near by, to hold fresh
meat, etc. I opened a case of ironworks [hardware] ; gave
each man a large ax to put in order, and then a dram of
high wine. I then trenched out the spot for our fort, which
I wished to make as compact as possible.

At four o'clock a herd of buffalo came down to drink,
very near camp. I sent Desmarais to fire at them ; he
did so, but only wounded one cow ; he came for his horse
to chase her, as she had left the herd and was running
alone ; I saddled mine also, and went with him ; we soon
overtook and killed her. While he was cutting her up,
I went after a wounded bull which I saw not far off.
Having shot him, I found his wound was not more than a
few days old. His leg had been badly broken, which con-

92 BRAVE SENTRIES ON GUARD AGAINST SIOUX.

vinced me that it happened not far from this place, as he
could scarcely walk. On returning I observed southward
herds of buffalo, as far as the eye could reach, all running at
full speed nearly toward us, but inclining to the open plain.
Desmarais informed me that when he fired at the herd
that was drinking, he saw a herd pass out in the plain in
the same direction, and at full speed. We did not know
what to think of this ; certainly they must have been
started, or even pursued by some people ; otherwise they
would not have run so far. Wolves sometimes start them,
but then they run no great distance. They continued to
run until we lost sight of them ; this made us very uneasy.
We took up our flesh and reached camp about dark.

I had seen on our way home a large flock of swans
\^Olor coliimbianus] rise out of Red river, about a mile above
camp, apparently in a state of alarm and confusion. As
soon as we had unloaded and fettered our horses, I
broke open our gun cases and gave each man a gun, with
some powder and ball. I then sent for three of my bravest
men, told them what we had seen, and that I appre-
hended danger. But I did not wish them to mention it,
and desired them to take their blankets and guns and keep
watch during the night at particular places, which I pointed
out. During the conversation, two of my brave fellows
turned pale, and their lips began to quiver with fear ; but
as it would have been of no use to choose others, I sta-
tioned them at their posts, with orders to wake us upon
the least noise. Having seen everything in order for
defense and our fire put out, I lay down in my cloak.
About midnight one of my sentries awoke Desmarais, say-
ing he had seen a band of Sioux pass through the woods on
horseback. Desmarais, suspecting the fellow of cowardice,
told him to be quiet and show him where they had passed.
He found it was my horse, which had strayed past this fel-
low, who lay asleep, and, perceiving the white blanket, had
stopped and begun to snort as the man awoke, when, seeing
the blanket move, he had run away as fast as his fetters

BUILDING BEGUN. 93

would permit, prancing and snorting. All was quiet again
till another alarm was given by a man not on guard. He
awoke me, saying he had heard a great noise in the plains,
as if a number of horsemen were coming. I desired him
to make no noise, while I went with him to the entrance of
the woods, not more than lOO paces from my tent. There
we had listened but a short time, when a large herd of buf-
falo came rushing down to the river to drink. This cleared
up the second alarm. Everything was quiet during the rest
of the night, except the bellowing of buffaloes in every
direction and the whistling of red deer.

Sept. loth. All hands were up early, and, having cracked
some jokes at the expense of the brave sentry, I gave them
all a dram and set them at work to build a storehouse, to
get the goods under cover as soon as possible. Some were
employed chopping logs, others cutting hay to cover, and
others making wooden shovels. We have no other wood
for building but oak.

This afternoon Crow arrived on horseback, having left
the Indians at the Bois Perce ; they were coming up slowly.
He was happy to find us building, and tells me I shall take
out some good packs of beaver. We saw a band of red
deer cross the river a little below camp, and soon four large
black bears crossed. Desmarais went after them, but to no
purpose.

Park river, near which we are settled, derives its name
from the fact that the Assiniboines once made a park or
pound on this river for buffalo. It receives its waters from
a large lake and marshes in the Hair hills, which come
down in three branches [present South fork. Middle fork,
and Cart creek] to within about 15 miles of Red river,
in a direct line, where they join nearly at the same spot to
form one stream, which is here fine, clear water, with a
sandy bottom. A few miles lower down is a lake three
miles in circumference, which lies 200 paces from this river,
on the N. side. This lake is an entire salt pit, which
empties into Park river by a deep, narrow channel ; this con-

94 OAK OBSERVATORY — STOREHOUSE.

taminates the water, and even the soil, which is soft mud
and clay, through which buffalo can scarcely make their way.
The water is thick and muddy until it enipties into Red
river ; its banks are almost level with the plain, and but par-
tially wooded. Between this and Panbian river is one con-
tinual level plain, where not the least hillock nor wood of
any kind is to be seen. The country southward appears to
be the same as that we have already passed through.

Sept. nth. I climbed up a tall oak, which I had trimmed
for that purpose, at the entrance of the plain, from the top
of which I had an extensive view of the country. Buffalo
and red deer were everywhere in sight, passing to and fro.
The weather being perfectly serene, I could distinguish the
Hair hills on the W., though they were scarcely percep-
tible— nothing more than a blue stripe, running N. and S.
The interval is a level meadow, with nothing to attract the
eye but the winding course of Park river, whose wood is lost
to the sight long before it reaches the hills. The distance
may be between 12 and 15 leagues.

At ten o'clock Crow arrived on the only horse the Indians
have. He informed me that last summer, when they went
to war, they passed along the Hair hills, and that exactly
opposite us, on the Middle branch of Park river, and at
the foot of the hills, they fell upon a large camp of the
enemy, where it appeared they had been tented a long time,
and had dried vast quantities of buffalo flesh, but had
decamped about 20 days before. This afternoon Charlo
and family arrived on foot. He wanted liquor for four bear-
skins, but I would give him none until all the Indians
arrived, when I proposed to sell them liquor for what few
skins and provisions they might have ; as giving them rum
for nothing was out of the question. I had already given
them as much as they deserved, and for the future, if they
wanted liquor, they must expect to pay for it.

This afternoon my storehouse was finished ; I imme-
diately put everything into it, and a padlock on the door.
I now desired each man to cut 50 oak stockades 12 feet

FEAR AN EXCELLENT OVERSEER. 95

long, and carry them to the spot where I proposed
erecting the fort. Maymiutch, Liard, and Aceguemanche
arrived and camped ; they had killed 12 bears. Crow, who
had gone hunting, returned, having killed two bears. I
shot a wolf that was passing on the opposite side of the
river, and killed him dead. My double-barreled gun is
an excellent piece. Buffaloes come down to drink, both
day and night, near our camp ; we seldom molest them,
but allow them to return in quiet. The Indians this even-
ing loaded our stage with bears' fat and choice meat. This
would have been a glorious time for my men, had not dread
of the Sioux deprived them of their appetite and made
them only anxious to finish the fort.

Sept. I2th. The Indians left early to hunt and make dis-
coveries above. My men were hard at work cutting and
carrying the stockades. It required the full strength of
two men to carry one log at a time on their shoulders, and
though the distance was only about 200 paces, this was
laborious, and soon took the skin off. Fear was an excel-
lent overseer, and the work went on with expedition. At
twelve o'clock the rest of the Indian families arrived, and
soon after the hunters returned, having been up about
four leagues to Salt river,' where they saw no sign of an
enemy ; they had killed four bears. I supposed they might
now drink in safety, and therefore began to trade rum ;
they were all soon drunk, men, women, and even some
of the children. I settled with Little Crane to hunt for
me. I promised that if he would behave well, and kill as
many animals as I might require for the season, I would

' Salt or Big Salt r. is a stream quite like Park r., on the same side of Red r.,
and next above or S. of Park r., with which its course is approx. parallel ;
but it is smaller. It rises in the same continuation of the Pembina mts.,
and runs chiefly in Walsh Co. ; but some of the courses of the Middle and
South fork run a little in Nelson Co., while most of the South fork, and much
of the main stream below the junctions of all the forks, are in Grand Fork
Co.; the mouth is in Walsh Co., only some 8 m. above the mouth of Park r. ,
and about 3 m. above the town of Acton. Big Salt r. must be distinguished
from several lesser ones of like name and similar alkaline character.

96 DRUNKEN LAMBS — LAMBLIKE DISCIPLINE.

pay him 60 skins, furnish a gun, and ammunition, and give
a clothing to himself and his wife.

Sept. ijth. The Indians still drunk, but I would give
them no more rum. They fell asleep soon after I refused
them. This small band are lambs in comparison with the
scoundrels I left at Reed river. I have little trouble with
them, as they are not unreasonable. Several, men are
plagued by a breaking out upon the skin, attended with
intolerable itching. I gave them high wine and gunpow-
der to rub themselves with, which appeared to ease them
and dry up the sores. This evening I settled a plan with
Maymiutch for future operations, as he apprehended no
danger from the enemy at present, the season being
advanced when the Sioux resort to St. Peter's river [the
Minnesota] to see their traders. He told me the Indians
would go up Red river a few miles where there were bears
and beaver cabins, and plenty of other animals ; there they
would remain some time and do for the best. Some of the
women said they had heard a shot fired, to the southward,
but we put no faith in it. Tekegonaibick was disappointed
in receiving her payment, by the appearance of Waque-
gante,* who drove her home with a cudgel.

* Same person as Waquetoe, No. 26 of list on p. 54. This identification is
curiously confirmed by a passage in Tanner, p. g8 : "We met with an old
Ottawwaw chief, called Wagetotahgun, (he that has a bell,) more commonly
called Wagetoat. He was a relative of Netnokwa," etc. Here we have two
pairs of names, the correspondence of which can hardly be accidental, and
I have no doubt they are the same, in different dialects and with phonetic varia-
tion in the rendering.

This leads me to remark upon the extremely interesting and historically im-
portant relation between Henry and Tanner which has dawned on me by
degrees in studying the two narrators. Tanner's Narrative has been since 1830
one of our stock stories of Indian captivity and subsequent Indianizing of
a white man. Tanner was stolen from the Ohio at the mouth of the Big
Miami, by Shawnees, in the spring of 1789, when he was about nine years old.
In a couple of years he was transferred to an Ottawa band, and adopted by old
Netnokwa, who thus became his " mother." In the same vicarious manner he
acquired numerous relatives in the band, and became as wild an Indian as any
of them. During all the years that Henry spent on the Red r. , Tanner was
roaming the same region as one of the very Indians with whom Henry traded.

JOHN tanner's narrative NOTED. 97

Sunday, Sept. i^th. The men began early to plant the
stockades, the women went for meat, and some of the
Indians killed four bears. They say they heard two shots
fired above us. I wanted them to go and discover, but
they declined, saying they were fatigued. Desmarais went
out, and did not return until late ; he saw no enemy.

Sept. i^th. I equipped my hunter with clothing for him-
self and his wife, and then gave out to the Indians their
necessaries for debts to the amount of 20 skins each, and
an assortment of small articles gratis, such as one scalper,
two folders, and four flints apiece to the men, and to the
women two awls, three needles, one seine of net thread,
one fine steel, a little vermilion, and half a fathom of
tobacco. My hunter killed a large bear near camp ; when

Tanner mentions Henry repeatedly, by name ; and even alludes to his subse-
quent death by drowning in the Columbia, p. 68. Tanner's " M'Gilveray,"
p. 6g, is McGillivray. Tanner's " Shabboyea," p. 6g, is C. J. B. Chaboillez.
Tanner's " M'Kee," p. 94, and " M'Kie," p. 133, is Mr. McKay. Tanner's
" M 'Glees," p. 96, is Hugh McGillis. As for the Indians whom Henry names.
Tanner knew most of them personally. We have already identified Henry's
sodomist, or berdash, son of Wiscoup, or Le Sucre, with Tanner's agokwa,
son of Weshkobug, the Sweet : see note *', p. 53. Tanner has much to say of
Chief Tabushshah : compare Chief Tabashaw, No. 2 of Henry's list. Tanner,
p. 125, has Ahketoons, the Little Caribou : compare Petit Caribou, No. 34 of
Henry's list. Tanner, p. 77, has Wahgekaut or Crooked Legs : compare
Henry's Jambes Croches or Crooked Legs, No. 33 of the list. Tanner has
much to say of Aisainse or Little Clam, and notes his death, p. 180 ; this is no
other than Petit Coquille' or Little Shell, No. g of Henry's list. Tanner,
p. 102, speaks of " Wawzhekwawmaishkoon, whom I called my brother";
this seems to be the same name, if it be not the same Indian, as Henry's
No. 14, Aceguemanche. Tanner has many incidents, chiefly brawls and
murders, or fights with Sioux, identical with those Henry gives. In fine.
Tanner's Narrative is the Indian side of the story told in Henry's Journal for
the Red River region — Henry is Tanner's palimpsest ; and thus do they serve
to check, corroborate, illustrate, and amplify each other.

The great trouble with Tanner has always been his lack of dates. There is
not a single complete date in the first 259 pages of Dr. James' book. On
p. 260, however, we get some reckoning of the years ; and in various places we
can check Tanner, as by his reference to Lewis and Clark, 1804-05 ; to the
war of 1812-14, etc. Taking one thing with another, by internal evidence —
such as Tanner's alternation of the seasons, his sugar-making, his starving
winters and traveling or fighting summers, and the like, and especially the new

98 INDIANS ONLY HALF DRUNK TO-DAY.

I instantly sent for it ; the hunter, returning with the men,
killed another, and Maymiutch killed four more. Desma-
rais this evening went to seine with the men in two small
canoes. They caught one sturgeon, two catfish, six brim,
and a number of other small fish. Bulls continued near
camp, but the cows kept at a distance. The Indians, pro-
posing to embark to-morrow, were gumming their canoes.

Sept. i6th. I sent the men for the bears they killed yes-
terday ; they returned at nine o'clock, and the Indians soon
decamped. I gave them one keg of mixed rum to encour-
age them to hunt and pay their debts. I treated my men
also to a dram, as they had labored hard. I sent my hunter
in his small canoe to hunt above, with orders to bring
down the meat himself, as I found it too troublesome to
send my people daily for meat. The Indians having
camped not many miles above us, some of them returned
half drunk, and plagued me for liquor. I purchased three
trained dogs for three quarts of mixed liquor. They
remained all night, and never ceased to tease us.

Sept. lyth. Early this morning I sent three men for a
bear that one of the lads shot yesterday ; they returned
soon. I once more got all the Indians off to their camps.
One of our horses is missing. I have employed Indians

light thrown on his story by Henry — I find it possible to construct a Tanner
chronology so accurately that we are seldom a single year out of the way.
I find that Tanner tells a straight, coherent, and consecutive story, which can
now for the first time be shown up in its proper historical perspective, for all
the period of Henry's residence in the Red River region. Tanner's memory
must have been prodigiously tenacious for events and incidents of his own life,
or he never could have told Dr. James such a story in after years, when he had
only gradually come into his white man's mind's estate after its Indianization
since childhood. Tanner slips mainly when he tries to adjust to his personal
history affairs in which he was not directly concerned. For example : p. 216,
he speaks of the murder of "a Mr. M'Donald, or M'Dolland," governor, etc.
But this was Governor Miles McDonnell, who was never murdered. Tanner
was thinking of the killing of Governor Semple ; yet the circumstances of the
affair he gives are those of the murder of Owen Keveny, for which Charles
de Reinhard was convicted and condemned to death at Quebec in 1818.
Tanner's Ottawa name was Shawshawwabenase, translated Falcon ; and in the
present work he will figure anew as one of Henry's Indian customers !

MORE BUFFALO THAN EVER. 99

and my own men to look for him since the 15th, but he
cannot be found. Buffaloes continue very numerous ; from
the top of my oak, or ladder, I counted 15 herds.

My men wefe employed in cutting up and melting bears'
fat, which we pour into red deer skins and wooden troughs ;
but we have collected such a quantity that we can find no
place to store it, and the weather being sultry great quan-
tities spoil. The raw fat will not keep many days, particu-
larly when the weather is sultry, soon turning rancid ; but
when melted down and properly taken care of, it will keep
good and sweet at any season.

Sept. i8th. I took my usual morning view from the top
of my oak and saw more buffaloes than ever. They formed
one body, commencing about half a mile from camp, whence
the plain was covered on the W. side of the river as far as
the eye could reach. They were moving southward slowly,
and the meadow seemed as if in motion. Desmarais went
below to look for his horse. At ten o'clock part of the
women returned to camp, informing me that their husbands
had altered their minds and intended to go up Red river.
They had taken their bear-traps on their backs and pro-
ceeded S. W. toward the Hair hills, to a place where they
had seen beaver last summer when they went to war. This
was a dangerous undertaking, of which neither I nor they
approved. They had sent me word to take care of their
families, as they would bring me beaver or lose their
heads.

This afternoon I rode a few miles up Park river. The
few spots of wood along it have been ravaged by buffaloes ;
none but the large trees are standing, the bark of which is
rubbed perfectly smooth, and heaps of wool and hair lie at
the foot of the trees. The small wood and brush are
entirely destroyed, and even the grass is not permitted to
grow in the points of wood. The bare ground is more
trampled by these cattle than the gate of a farm-yard.
This is a delightful country, and, were it not for perpetual
wars, the natives might be the happiest people upon earth.

lOO DESMARAIS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES.

I returned at sunset, having shot a fat cow, the choice
pieces of which I brought in. I also killed four bulls, only
the tongues of which I took. Desmarais did not return
until late ; he could not find his horse, and had ceased to
look for him, but killed two large cows.

Sept. igth. I sent men for the cows that Desmarais had
killed ; they returned with one, the other having been
devoured by wolves. This afternoon we were obliged to
throw away great quantities of bear, biche, and buffalo
meat, for in hot weather it soon spoils.

My servant [Desmarais] is such a careless, indolent fellow
that I cannot trust the storehouse to his care. I made
to-day a complete overhaul, and found ev^erything in the
greatest confusion ; I had no idea matters were so bad as I
found them. I shall for the future take charge myself and
find other work for him. Like most of his countrymen, he
is much more interested for himself than for his employer,
though he has a good salary for his abilities, which are not
extraordinary, further than as interpreter. He is allowed
;£"ioo per annum, Halifax currency, which is two-thirds
more than he deserves.

Sept. 20th. At daybreak I awoke my men to begin work ;
but they assembled around the fire and each began to relate
his discoveries. This discourse brought up other matters
of their own, and what with cutting tobacco and smoking
the sun was high before they thought about their work. I
was therefore obliged to reprimand them for their indolence,
and remind them of our defenseless situation in case the
Sioux should fall upon us. This had the desired effect;
they labored with redoubled ardor, and our work went on
with great dispatch. At noon two Indians came from
above to ask me to send a large canoe for what they had
collected at their tents." They informed me they had killed

' The Indians had no tents, properly so called ; Henry means the huts, or
whatever shelter they made for themselves where they vi^ere camped : compare
his use of cabin, note ®^, p. 71. In a still more general sense, tent was used of
any abiding place or resort, and sometimes even as name of a locality ; e. g..

WORK PROGRESSING — BEARS NUMEROUS. lOI

forty bears, some red deer, moose, and a few beavers and
raccoons. This afternoon the men finished planting the
stockades and hung the gates, so we are in a position to
defend ourselves, and might defy several hundred Sioux.
The Indian lad killed two bears.

Sunday, Sept. 21st. The men began to fell trees for our
dwelling-houses. It was at their own option to work this
day or not ; their excuse is the necessity of forwarding their
work as fast as possible to get under cover before cold
weather. They are but few, badly provided with axes, and
have much work still to do, cutting firewood, etc. I sent
Desmarais and another man in a large canoe to the Indians*
tent above, with nine gallons of mixed liquor for them.
He returned with a canoe-load of bear's oil, fat, meat,
skins, etc. He says the beach is covered with bear's fat
where the Indians are tented, the women being too lazy to
melt and preserve it in red deer skins.

Sept. 22d. Maymiutch informed me this morning of a
great smoke E. S. E. from us toward Red lake, which he
supposed was occasioned by Indians. I proposed to send
him to inform them of our situation, but he declined to
go at present, supposing them too distant. I gave him
a few pounds of flour and sugar for his children and sent
him home. There being nothing but oaks here, I sent two
men up river to raft down our flooring of bois blanc. Stur-
geon continued to jump day and night. We saw five bears.
Desmarais and myself crossed over and pursued them. We
had a long chase and repeatedly sighted them, but they es-
caped us in the brush. On our return we found a large one
lying dead, which we supposed must have been wounded by
the Indians some time ago. He was swelled up and ready
to burst. Bears make prodigious ravages in the brush and
willows ; the plum trees are torn to pieces, and every tree
that bears fruit has shared the same fate ; the tops of the
oaks are also very roughly handled, broken, and torn down,

Loge des BcEufs, a place where buffaloes were wont to stay, would be trans-
latable Buffalo Tent.

I02 THE SITUATION NOW COMFORTABLE.

to get the acorns. The havoc they commit is astonishmg ;
their dung lies about in the woods as plentiful as that of
the buffalo in the meadow.

Sept. 2jd. Last night great numbers of swans and geese
passed, flying S., and this morning they continued. The
weather was cold, with a strong N. wind. A woman with
two children from the Indian camp said they saw two Sioux
not far from us, but we supposed it to have been two red
deer. At ten o'clock I went out on a discovery with Des-
marais on horseback, he having found Crow's mare. We
cautiously approached the spot where we had been told the
two men had been seen, but could perceive nothing. We
then directed our course to the salt lake near Park river,
where we found bulls in abundance licking up the salt on
the beach and drinking the water. We shot three, and only
took their tongues ; I also killed a raccoon and two geese.
It was dark before we got back; my people had been
uneasy about us, and were overjoyed when they heard us
hallo.

Sept. 24.th. The stench about camp being so great from
the quantities of flesh and fat thrown away since our arrival,
and the bastions of my tent being complete, with a flooring
about nine feet from the ground, I caused it to be pitched
up in the S. W. bastion, on this flooring. Here, from
the door of my tent, I could see everything that went on,
both within and without the stockade, and also had a fine
view of the country around us. I cut down a number of
small oaks, which intercepted the full view of the plains.
My men also pitched their tents inside the stockade, and we
determined to be regular in shutting the gates at night.
Our situation appeared very comfortable and my people be-
gan to enjoy their kettle more than heretofore. Crooked
Legs and my hunter returned with three bears. My people
went out to seine, and soon came back with a sturgeon,
three catfish, eight brim, four achegan, five dore, three
pike, and a few lacaishe.

Sept. 25th. I sent my hunter out with his wife in a small

SOME FRESH ALERTS. IO3

canoe. One of my men got an ugly cut in the leg with an
ax. I shot a large fat heron [Ardea herodias] which my
men prefer to bear meat. Wind, N. E., wild fowl passing
in abundance ; the leaves are falhng, having turned yellow
a few days ago. My hunter returned, having killed a bear
and some wild fowl. I took a ride northward, but saw only
two bulls and three bears, on the E. side of Red river. No
buffalo to be seen on the W. side ; they appear to have
gone toward the Hair hills.

Sept. 26th. I went on foot to shoot wild fowl along the
river below. I saw a large she bear with two cubs on
the E. side, but it would have been of no use to fire at
them ; a shot might have hit one, but I had no way to
cross. I saw also a fisher [Miistela pe7inanti\ on the same
side, but returned with only a few ducks and pheasants
{Bonasa umbellus\ My hunter had killed a red deer;
Crooked Legs, a bear; and Desmarais, four geese.

Sept. 2yth. An Indian came in early from the Salt River
camp, and informed me they had been alarmed and were all
gone on discoveries. One of them positively said he saw a
man, who hid in the grass and willows. Another said he
found the spot on the beach where a person had laid grass
and sticks on the mud on purpose to drink, the prints of the
hands being very plain. It appeared to them this must have
been done by a stranger. We awaited with anxiety the re-
sult of this affair. Toward evening we saw Crow's family
coming round the point ; they camped with us. They said
they heard firing to the S., and Aceguemanche insisted that
he had seen a man in the grass with a gun, who ran away
and disappeared in the woods. They plagued me a long
time for liquor, but I would give them none. This alert
will injure my returns, as the Indians had found some
beavers' cabins and were preparing to hunt when they got
alarmed. We had a hard frost last night; the water in
our kettles this morning had a covering of ice about a
quarter of an inch thick.

Sunday, Sept. 28th. The Indians paid their debts this

I04 ANOTHER DRINKING-BOUT BEGUN.

morning and wished to have liquor, but I was determined
they should have none until the two beaver hunters who
went to the hills returned. The men are making chim-
neys ; but, having no stone, we are obliged to build them
of clay ; it is not of a very good kind for the purpose, being
a coarse black mud, which, having no consistency, cracks
and falls to pieces on drying. On digging a hole eight feet
deep, in hopes of finding clay, we uncovered the carcass
of a buffalo, about 40 feet from the level of the river, on a
bank covered with oak. At ten o'clock Aupersay went out
to hunt buffalo with Crow's mare, but seeing two men
coming from the S. W., he returned at full speed to give
the alarm. All hands flew to arms, and the tops of the
trees were soon filled with people. We soon observed the
strangers to be the two hunters. Crow and Charlo, each
with a good pack of beaver. They gave me their skins,
telling me they were thirsty, and wanted a drink of my
milk to refresh them and give them a good taste for a
smoke. They informed us they had been on the Hair
hills, but had seen no tracks of the enemy. They had seen
several dead buffalo, and some with broken legs, or other-
wise wounded ; in particular, a cow with a broken back,
which could not walk. The wound appeared fresh, and to
have been made by a ball. They had found plenty
of beaver at the hills, but would not kill more than
they could carry on their backs. They traded for
liquor, and all began to drink, men and women. At two
o'clock the wind came from the S., and brought a thick
smoke, which must have come from the enemy. The In-
dians grew more than usually troublesome. I quarreled
with Maymiutch, and took his gun away. Crooked Legs'
old wife came to inform me secretly that during the night
she had seen a Sioux at the door of all the Indians' tents,
who peeped in, and counted the number of men in each,
and then retired. I wished to laugh her out of her story,
but she insisted upon it. I suppose this old woman had a
dream, and believed it to have been a fact ; they are

CROOKED LEGS STABS HIS YOUNG WIFE. I05

remarkably superstitious. I let the children sleep in the
fort whilst the men and women were drinking in their
tents. About midnight I heard one of them chopping the
gate with an ax, and bawling out to let him in, as he
wanted liquor. Desmarais took the ax from him, and told
him if he cut the gate again he might depend upon receiv-
ing a sound beating. These people are not accustomed to
traders who have their houses stockaded ; it is only of late
years they have seen anything of the kind. Having been
accustomed from infancy to full liberty of going in and
out, day or night, and being naturally of a haughty, impe-
rious disposition, the fellows cannot bear to knock at a gate
that does not open at their command.

Sept. 2gth. The Indians continued drinking. About
ten o'clock I was informed that old Crooked Legs had
killed his young wife. I instantly sent Desmarais to
inquire into the business. He soon returned, and told me
she was not dead, but had received three dreadful stabs.
I went to see her ; she was stretched at full length in
Crow's tent, with her relations around her, bawling and
crying ; they were all blind drunk. The old man had
retired to his own tent, where he sat singing and saying he
was not afraid to die. We examined the wounds, and
found the worst one just under the shoulder-blade ; another
was through the arm, and the third where the knife had
glanced from the elbow and entered the side between two
ribs. At every motion of the lung the blood gushed out
of the first and last wounds. I really thought she had not
many minutes to live ; and, therefore, left her to the care
of her own people, who were sucking the blood out of the
wounds. Having done this for some time, they applied
some roots and leaves ; she soon after fell asleep. The
cause of the quarrel was jealousy. She was a stout, strong
young woman, and he a poor infirm old man, very small
and lean. He had reproached her for infidelity, and even
threatened her with death if she continued to misbehave.
She was wicked and full of resentment against the old man,

I06 ETHICS OF HOMICIDE.

whom she always despised and detested. She thought this
a favorable opportunity to be revenged, and, taking up a
long stick, she gave him a blow on the head, which laid
him senseless ; then she ran off and hid in Crow's tent ; as
soon as he recovered he took his knife, and went for her ;
having found her, without any further quarrel or ceremony,
he took her by the left arm, drew his knife, and began to stab
her. He would have continued the blows, had not some of
the women taken the knife from him. I thought it ex-
traordinary that she did not attempt to defend herself, but
was told she made no resistance or attempt to get away
from him, which she easily could have done, but allowed
herself to be butchered, although she was but little intoxi-
cated. I have frequently observed this to be the case with
these people. When they conceive themselves to have
been revenged, they are careless as to consequences, and in
a manner have no sense of fear. Even when death seems
certain, they scorn to avoid it ; but should the assailant fail
in his undertaking, he may rest assured the consequences
■will be fatal to him some day. I attribute to this impulse
of ferocity the many instances I have witnessed in which an
Indian, having failed in a premeditated murder, and being
well aware of the consequences, will injure or kill all who
come in his way, until his passion is satisfied, when he will
suddenly throw down his arms and give himself up to the
judgment of the camp. Sitting with his head between his
legs, he will allow even a child or an old woman to dispatch
him, without saying one word in his own defense. If lenity
is shown him he afterward becomes a mean devil, and in
almost every drinking-bout will do some black deed until
he receives his death-blow; this happens generally very
soon, but sometimes immediately— particularly should he
not belong to the clan [totem]. I had trouble in preventing
the Indians from killing old Crooked Legs. Even his son
seemed anxious to dispatch him. We took all their arms
from them, and when at last I got them quiet, they prom-
ised to respite the old man until the woman was dead, when

AN OBJECT OF SUSPICION. I07

they would certainly kill him. During all this bustle he sat
in his tent singing and saying he was not afraid to die ; he
had not even a knife with which to defend himself. At
four o'clock the wounded woman awoke. Her friends
insisted upon her drinking with them, telling her it would
do her good ; she accordingly did so and was drunk all
night.

Toward evening I took my gun and went out for a walk
in the meadow to evade the Indians, as they were drunk
and troublesome. On turning about I perceived at some
distance, in a low piece of ground, something like a bear
moving in the long grass, along the river on the plain
between my fort and Park river. I had no doubt it was a
bear, and, being close to the bank, I ran down opposite to
where I supposed it would pass. Having crawled to the
bank of the river, I raised myself up with my gun cocked ;
but nothing appeared. I advanced a little further; nothing
was to be seen, although I could have discerned a ground
squirrel, had he been within half a mile. I ran to an oak
and climbed up to the top ; still saw nothing. I could not
conceive in what manner it could have escaped me. When
I first perceived the object, it appeared to stretch out the
neck, which did not resemble that of a bear, look toward
me, then toward the fort, and immediately disappear. I
went to the spot, but could perceive no tracks. I could dis-
tinctly hear the Indians singing and talking. I went home
and, although it was getting dark, I informed Desmarais
privately, desiring him to take his gun and go with me. We
went to the place, made a circuit, and searched a long time
in vain. Desmarais insisted upon its being a Sioux discov-
erer [scout or spy], and attempted to show me many ways
by which he might have prevented my seeing him after I
had gone down to the bank. Let this be as it may.

On our return I was surprised to find the gates shut, and
all the men, women, and children still half drunk, in a row
along the stockade, bawling out for admittance. Everyone
was loaded with his own baggage, kettle, and blanket, pup-

I08 SCENE OF CONFUSION— CROOKED LEGS SORRY.

pies were squealing, children crying — altogether it was such
a scene of confusion that we almost began to beheve the
enemy was surrounding the fort. Having called out and
been admitted, I allowed everybody to come in ; amongst
them was the wounded woman. I then inquired into the
cause of the alarm, and I was informed that, contrary to
my orders, Desmarais had told them I had seen a Sioux.
This coming from me, there was not the least doubt it
was true. I was vexed with Desmarais, but it stopped
the drinking match. The Indians kept watch with us,
and there were only some of the women drinking very
quietly.

Sept. 30th. This morning the Indians wished me to
allow them to pitch their tents inside the stockade, but my
fort was too small. I told them they were welcome to sleep
in it every night. They all retired to their cabins to sleep
off the effects of the liquor ; the wounded woman walked
away also, attended by her old husband, who appeared very
sorry for what he had done and was very attentive to her.
He is a great doctor, and does not despair of curing her.
She walked very stiff, her face as pale as a corpse, every
moment casting cruel frowns upon the old gentleman.
One of my men made a trap yesterday, and this morning
caught a red fox \yulpus fulvus\

Oct. 1st. I was unwell during the night, but found my-
self better this morning. It began to rain and continued
all day. The Indians have all been hunting, but the rain
prevented them from killing, although they had seen sev-
eral bears and two wolves. One of them killed a bear this
afternoon near the fort ; it was a lucky supply, as we were
short of fresh meat.

Oct. 2d. Fine clear weather. Indians all out hunting. I
was still unwell, and therefore determined to ride down to
the river alone. I went almost to the Bois Perce before I
saw anything but bulls. Here I fell in with a large herd of
red deer feeding on the edge of the woods. Having se-
cured my horse to a tree, I approached them. I now

"WHO IS THERE?" " C'EST MOI, BOURGEOIS." IO9

regretted having left my double-barreled gun behind. I
had taken only a short gun, that had burst and been cut
down. She was good for nothing ; however, I opened fire
on the herd, loading and shooting as fast as I could. This
appeared to confuse them, and, instead of running away, they
simply moved to and fro in the low brush. They attempted
to enter the strong wood along the river, but I was alert
enough to intercept them. They took to the plains as
my ammunition was expended. The sun had set ; I was at
some distance from home, and also from my horse ; and
had lost my knife. I had killed one deer on the spot, but
had only wounded four, which I saw walking slowly after
the band, the blood streaming down their sides and legs. It
was too late to go after them, even had I had ammunition,
and I knew my people would be anxious about me. It was
totally dark before I found my horse. I mounted and rode
at full gallop. No noise was heard but that of swans and
geese screaming, as they flew their way to warmer climates.
At ten o'clock I came to the point of wood in which the
fort was built, and just as I entered the wood at a gallop to
take the road that led to the gate, a gun was fired about
ten yards from me, apparently by a person who lay in the
long grass. My horse was startled and jumped on one side,
snorting and prancing ; but I kept my seat, calling out,
" Who is there ? " No answer was returned. I instantly drew
my gun from my belt and cocked her to fire, forgetting she
was not loaded and I had no ammunition. I could still see
the person running in the grass, and was disappointed in not
having a shot at him. I again called out, " Who is there ? "
" C'est moi. Bourgeois !" It proved to be one of my men,
Charbonneau. I was vexed with him for causing me such
consternation. Having got home, I found all hands much
alarmed. The Indians who had been out hunting said they
had seen Sioux, and my absence till so late an hour had
persuaded them I must have been killed. My men were
apprehensive I had gone astray, and therefore, after dark,
had been continually firing. When Charbonneau heard the

no CROOKED LEGS* YOUNG WIFE IS HERSELF AGAIN.

trampling of my horse, he fired for a joke, and pretended to
hide. The fellow would have paid dear for his joke, had my
gun been loaded.

Oct. 3d. Indians away hunting. One of my men was
very ill with a colic. I gave him some essence of pepper-
mint, but it did not cure him ; soon after gave him some
sweet oil, which he threw up ; he was in great pain. I
gave him a dose of jalap, which he soon threw up, and his
pain increased. I then gave him an extraordinary dose of
Glauber's salts, which, after some time, took its course, but
did not appear to relieve him much. Charlo decamped
on the E. side Avith his family, in search of beavers. The
Indians killed two bears and some wild fowl. They are
troublesome and peevish, and wish I would give them some
cause to leave me. They are certainly in a chronic state
of alarm, and always representing to me the danger of
their situation.

Oct. 4th. My man still very sick. I gave him an emetic,
as he complained of an inclination to vomit ; it operated
well, and I was surprised to see what a quantity of bile and
other foul matter he threw up. The wounded woman com-
plained most bitterly. Her old husband has the principal
management of her wounds, which he dresses morning and
evening with a mixture of roots and barks, whilst she takes
inwardly a decoction of the same kind. At every dressing
she vents her spleen in imprecations on the old man, whilst
he, foolishly attached to her, receives her censure with the
greatest submission, and even with tears in his eyes, telling
her to take courage and live. She anwers his tender advice
with, " Get out, you old dog ! If I live, it will be the worse
for you." It is really a farce to see them.

I found to-day, in the kidney of a bull, a small solid sub-
stance of the size and shape of a bean, and as hard as a
pebble [renal calculus]. On breaking it open, it showed
shining particles of the nature of stone. I had often
abstracted the same substance from the kidneys of bulls,
. generally like a bean, but some perfectly round.

ANOTHER COMMOTION IN CAMP. Ill

About twelve o'clock, as I was writing in my tent, up in
the bastion, I heard a great bustle in the fort below, and
people calling out, " It is near at hand." The women and
children began to scream and run into the fort. I jumped
up and came to the tent-door. The Indians were standing
in the fort with nothing on but their breech-clouts, powder-
horns, shot-bags, and guns in their hands, calling out to the
women and children to hide. I asked the cause of all this
commotion, but everybody was too much occupied to listen
or answer. My men, who had just placed their kettle of
meat in the middle of the fort, were calling out, " To arms !
to arms ! " They had got up from around the kettle, and
were gaping and staring at the Indians ; some had bits of
meat sticking out of their mouths ; others had their mouths
full ; others, again, were with large pieces in their hands,
whilst some had let them drop. All of them looked
ghastly, their lips contracted, eyes rolling, and countenances
pale as death. I could not conceive what was the occasion
of this uproar. I supposed it might proceed from some
monstrous grizzly bear at hand, or in pursuit of some per-
son who was running to the fort, for, they all ran to the
gates, some pushing them shut, and others opening them,
some swearing they were better shut than open, others
swearing to the contrary. By this time I had got down
amongst them, and inquired the cause ; when I was in-
formed that somebody had seen two Indians not more
than 200 yards from the fort, crawling on their bellies
toward some children at play. Having brought my gun
with me, I instantly ran after the Indians, desiring them to
return, as we should stand a better chance within than
without the stockades ; they did so. Not one of my men
had a gun in his hands, their consternation was so great.
We were in the act of securing the gates, when we saw two
lads coming, who, we knew, belonged to the camp. Ob-
serving the alarm, they informed us it was themselves who
had played the trick to frighten the children. The Indians
were highly incensed, and gave them a severe reprimand,

112 VARIOUS INCIDENTS AND OCCUPATIONS.

telling them it would have served them right if we had
shot them.

I sent Desmarais and others to seine. They returned
with five large sturgeon. Wolves are very numerous ; they
go in large droves, and keep up a terrible howling, day and
night. My men caught a fox, a fisher, and two raccoons in
their traps. I am told the sick woman, this evening, found
great relief from something having, as she expressed it,
burst inside the wound, which instantly discharged a great
quantity of foul matter.

Sunday, Oct. ^th. Part of the Indians decamped up the
river to hunt beaver. My man is very unwell still ; the sick
woman is so far recovered that she walks about, and sits up
to make shoes. My hunter's child is sick. The buffaloes
are moving southward in one body. My men brought a
raft of flooring wood of bois blanc split. I supplied the
sick with flour, sugar, and some tea. My men caught five
raccoons in their traps along the beach.

Oct. 6th. Early this morning my hunter went out and
returned at ten o'clock ; he had shot a bear and two red
deer. I sent eight men for the meat. My men caught
three raccoons in their traps. At three o'clock the others
returned with the meat. The bucks, having done rutting,
are very lean and poor, whilst the does are fat. It is sur-
prising how suddenly this change takes place in red deer.

Oct. yth. One of my men cut his hand with an ax, in a
very ugly manner. Desmarais has been employed for a few
days on making a seine which is now finished ; 2 pounds of
sturgeon twine produces 4 fathoms 45 meshes high, and 2
skeins maitre de nits and 40 balls finishes a seine. At ten
o'clock I sent two men in a large canoe down river for red
deer, it being necessary that one of the canoes should
pass the winter below, as we may need it early in the spring.
I propose to follow it on horseback, being anxious to know
how Langlois is coming on with his Indians.

Oct. 8th. I gave all hands a dram, and at nine o'clock
set off alone on horseback. It soon began to snow; the

VOYAGE DOWN RIVER TO LANGLOIS. II3

wind increased. I saw several small herds of buffalo and
red deer ; also wild fowl in great abundance. I over-
took the canoe a little below the Bois Perce. The wind
blowing directly ahead, they could make no way against it,
although they labored hard. We therefore camped at
four o'clock. I had killed two buffaloes and some geese.
The men complained that the canoe was heavy and
leaky. One of them had to be almost continually bailing
her with a dish, and we had no gum to repair her. This
evening I tied my horse's hind legs together with a strong
rope and put on his neck a long piece of line to which was
fastened a large log of wood. I took this precaution as I
supposed he was inclined to return to Crow's mare.

Oct. gth. We looked about for my horse, but he was
not to be found. He had broken the rope, and the cord
that fastened his legs, and was off. I sent one of my men
in pursuit, and took his place in the canoe. It was very
cold ; the tops of the trees and willows were covered with
frimas [hoarfrost]. We were soon obliged to haul our
canoe on the beach, and with great difficulty turned her
up ; when we scraped off all the gum we could get from
her upper seams, gummed the bottom as best we could,
and launched her. In doing this our dish fell into the river
and sunk. We had nothing else to bail with. I therefore
used my hat for that purpose. But the gum soon cracked
and the water gained on us. We again hauled her up,
plastered her over with some stiff, yellow clay we found on
the beach, and re-embarked, but had not gone above a mile
when, in spite of my hat, she filled and sunk before we
could reach shore. With great trouble we got her near the
beach, and by degrees emptied her. This was an ugly task,
in mud and water up to our middle. It was a long time
before we got her entirely clear, but our united efforts
could not turn her up. We left her on the beach and made
a fire for the night. We had nothing to eat, and no
kettle to cook with. I had only the one pair of shoes that
were on my feet, and which were much the worse for wear.

114 PROGRESS OF THIS VOYAGE.

I saw plenty of buffalo on the plains, but my shoes would
not permit me to go after them. Although I killed
enough provisions yesterday to last us a month, to-day we
are without a mouthful, so very improvident are people in
this country. This morning we had embarked a lot of
stock, but it soon got wet, and afterward muddy ; we left it
at the first place we put ashore to gum, thinking we should
get plenty more for supper. I went out hunting along the
beach, but returned with only an eagle, which we roasted.
The wind came on a mere " hurricane from the N., very
cold, with light snow, and we could find no shelter from the
storm. Having no ax our fire was soon blown away, and
we passed a very disagreeable night, shivering with the
cold. I was angry with my men for having lost the ax.
Oct. loth. As soon as I could see my way I went hunt-
ing along the beach, where I required no shoes. But as
if the wild fowl were combined against us, not one was
to be seen. At twelve o'clock my man arrived with the
horse, which he did not overtake until he reached the
fort. Having brought some gum with him, we repaired
the canoe as best we could ; but she was such a miserable
crazy machine she could hardly support her own weight.
At two o'clock the two men embarked ; the wind still
strong ahead and very cold. I mounted my horse and
went hunting on the plains, where I soon killed a buffalo.
I brought a small load of meat to Two Rivers, made a
fire, and waited for the canoe. She arrived late, half-full
of water. They had put ashore, and used all the gum to
no purpose ; she was as leaky as before. Here we camped.
I determined to proceed by land to-morrow. The men had
no good shoes, but they repaired the old ones the best

'o " A mere hurricane " strikes us as a curious phrase. But that is because we
have almost lost sight of the original meaning of mere, which prevailed with
little or no modification at the time Henry wrote. Etymologically the word
signifies " pure," " unmixed," " unqualified," and the like, whence it came to
denote what we now mean when we say " sheer," "utter," " complete," etc., or
use " very " as an adjective.

PEMBINA PASSED — PORCUPINE-GRASS. II 5

they could without an awl. I thought to make sure that
my horse should not play me any more tricks, and make me
journey afoot, as I had no shoes but my old ones, with
scarcely any soles. I hoppled his fore legs with a strong
piece of leather, fastened one of his hind legs to them, and
then tied him to a stump with a strong double of new
codline. The night was cold and dreary, with light rain
and strong N. E. wind. I kept an eye on my horse, which
appeared very quiet till two hours before day, when I
supposed there was no more danger. Having examined
his fetters, which were in good order, I went sound asleep.
Oct. nth. The first thing missing was my horse. I
awoke the men and sent them in pursuit of him. They
were gone about an hour, when they returned to tell me
they had seen him running full speed southward. They
brought the twisted and broken cords with which he had
been tied. This was a sad disappointment. I resolved to
wait no longer ; so I cut up the leather of my saddle,
wrapped it upon my feet as best I could, and cut off the
skirt of my capot to serve me as mitts. Wrapping our
blankets around us we set off at ten o'clock. The weather
cruelly cold, with a strong wind. I killed a fat swan flying,
and one of my men, being determined to eat it, took it up
on his back. At two o'clock we crossed Panbian river;
saw many red deer tracks ; wild fowl passed in abundance.
One of my men complained of being knocked up and
wished me to stop for the night, but we were then some
distance from Red river and choking with thirst. I en-
couraged him to push on and throw away the swan, but he
would not consent to part with it. Our shoes were entirely
worn out, and we had no more leather to put under the
soles. The short, pointed grass [porcupine-grass, Stipa
sparted] annoyed us very much as we crawled along in
great misery and pain, almost every third step being upon
a blade of this grass, which grows all over these level
meadows. It is not more than two inches high, about the
thickness of an awl, and fully as sharp ; it even penetrates

Il6 REED RIVER REACHED.

strong leather and socks, and when it pierces the skin the
point breaks off and remains in the flesh. Our thirst was
excessive, and I apprehended some fatal consequences.
However, we kept on till dark, when to our great joy we
reached Red river. Having taken a hearty drink, we looked
around and found we were some distance below Reed river.
We determined to go up along the beach, in search of the
buildings. The walking was very ugly and tedious for
persons whose feet were stuck full of this pointed grass.
The beach and banks here were overgrown with willows,
high grass, and gratia. After walking some time I imagined
we were about opposite to where I had desired Langlois to
build. We sat down and called aloud, but received no
answer. We shouted again, but to no purpose. I began
to suspect that the Indians had prevailed upon Langlois to
go down to Riviere aux Gratias and build there, as I had
left it at his option in case the Indians appeared incHned
to leave him. I mentioned this to the men and told them
we might as well camp for the night, and to-morrow crawl
to Riviere aux Gratias as best we could, by cutting up our
blankets for shoes. The night was cloudy and dark, but I
saw a small birch canoe drifting near by ; we hauled her up
and emptied the water, but found her in too bad a condi-
tion to be of any service. With one of my men I began
to look for a place to sleep, whilst our fatigued companion
lay stretched upon the beach, declaring he did not care to
live. Suddenly he said in a faint voice that he heard some
noise, but was not certain whence it proceeded. We called
again, but no answer. I went a few paces up river, when,
looking steadily across, I thought I saw a glimmer among the
large elms. I rubbed my eyes and took a second look, when
I was convinced it was really a light. I bellowed out lustily
and was immediately answered by one of Langlois' men.
Only those who have been in a similar situation can imagine
the sensations one enjoys in a moment like this. My men
joined me, and my knocked-up man was so overjoyed that
he forgot his fatigue and scarcely knew what he was about.

FROM REED RIVER TO HAIR HILLS POST. 11/

We soon crossed and found our people in their houses,
which had been finished some time. I was surrounded by
every Indian at the house, anxious to know how we had
escaped the Sioux, as they had supposed us all dead long
ago. Having given them the desired information, they left
me quiet to pluck the painful grass-blades out of my feet.
I found our affairs going on tolerably well. Lagass6 had
gone to the Hair hills with a small assortment of goods,
and the Indians had made a very fair hunt in beavers. I
was informed that two of Langlois' Indians had killed and
wounded the buffaloes that Crow and Charlo had seen in
the hills some time ago. They had also seen two Indians,
whom they took for Sioux, which made them return to Red
river sooner than they had intended. They had brought
each 30 beaver skins. The Indian who was stabbed in the
knee last August at this place is still ill of the wound ; he
cannot walk at all. The Indians have but moderate debts,
from 20 to 25 skins, which I believe they will pay, although
they are great rogues.

Sunday, Oct. 12th. I was agreeably surprised to find
here Desmarais' black horse which we had lost above. He
was found some time ago at Plumb river in company with a
large herd of buffaloes. I was determined to take a trip to
the hills to see how matters came on there, so I sent to
search for the horse. The Indians plagued me for liquor,
but I gave them none. I took the inventory, etc. My feet
are very sore ; I can scarcely crawl about.

Oct. ijth. It was nine o'clock before we could get our
horses over the river and set off. Langlois and myself pro-
ceeded along Riviere aux Marais. Leaving the woods of that
river, we crossed the plains to L'Isle du Passage through
one continuous herd of buffalo, but had no time to chase
them. At one o'clock we stopped at this island to rest our
horses, and then proceeded to the foot of the Panbian
river traverse, where we allowed our horses another half
hour's rest and feed. Here I climbed a high tree, and, as
far as the eye could reach, the plains were covered with

Il8 WITH LAGASSE AND DUBOIS AT HAIR HILLS.

buffalo in every direction. We set off, and at five o'clock
arrived at the foot of the mountain or hills.

Here we found Lagasse and Dubois in a small hut, 15
feet square, which answered for dwelling, storehouse, and
shop. Two Indians were with him, Nanaundeyea and
Grosse Loge ; they had made no hunt as yet. One of
them a few days ago saw a full-grown bear as white as
snow. His gun missed fire and the bear escaped. He
assured me it was not the grizzly, but the common kind.
The country from Red river to this mountain is one level
plain, without a hill or a stone. The grass would be rather
long were it not for the buffalo. On ascending the moun-
tain, the face of the country suddenly changes, the soil is
sandy, and stones are frequent. The ground is rough ;
deep wooded valleys and high barren hills are the principal
objects. From the brow of the mountain, at the foot of
which the building stands, there is a delightful view. On
the E. lies the large level plain, where there is not a stick
of wood to be seen, excepting along Panbian river, which
runs in a serpentine course until it is lost to view far east-
ward. We have also a glimpse of Tongue river to the S. E.,
running N. E. to join Panbian river. The land between
these two rivers is partially wooded, forming a famous coun-
try for moose and red deer. N. and S. the prospect is soon
terminated by rising grounds, partially wooded, but west-
ward the winding course of the Panbian is seen in a deep
valley for many miles, W. of which appears a blue wooded
ridge. Beyond this ridge the country is more level, and
there is no wood for several days' journey ; but the land
never sinks again to the level of that adjoining Red river,

Oct. 14th. A thick fog this morning, but cold, with heavy
frimas. Panbian river is here much broader than at its
mouth ; the bottom is sand, intermixed with a blue slaty
gravel and frequently large stones, like all the small rivers
which come from the Hair hills. Their first course is
through deep valleys, where the beds are almost choked
with stones. Then, on leaving the hills, the valleys end,

FROM HAIR HILLS TO PEMBINA RIVER. II9

and the beds are of sand and blue gravel, with a few large
stones lying nearly on a level with the meadows. After
five or six miles nothing but sand is to be seen, and then, in
a few miles more, come mud and mire, through which even
buffalo have great difificulty in crossing. Our horses fre-
quently stick fast, and it is only with great trouble we can
get them out.

I hired Nanaundeyea to go toward the Ribbone lakes in
search of the Crees and Assiniboines, and try to prevail
upon some of them to come to our establishment. As an
inducement I desired him to inform them that I intended
to establish a summer post on this river, where they could
always find their necessary supplies ; that this year I sent to
the hills merely as a trial ; but if I could be sure of seeing
Indians here annually, I would form a permanent post. I
desired him also to go to Pinancewaywining, which is the
common route by which the Assiniboine River Indians
pass over the mountain to hunt bear and buffalo on the
E. side. He promised he would do his best to find the
Indians.

At ten o'clock we remounted and came away. Thick fog
continued, but the sun appearing, we directed our course as
near as possible for Passage island, where we arrived about
one o'clock ; here we unsaddled to give our horses a rest. I
shot two cows and a heifer two years old ; the latter was
extraordinarily fat, with over an inch of depouille. Those
young animals are seldom fat in depouille. Buffalo have
ravaged this small island ; nothing remains but the large
elms and oaks, whose bark has been polished to the height
of the buffalo by their perpetual rubbing. Brush and grass
are not to be seen in this little wood, which on the whole is
a dehghtful spot. We took some choice pieces of meat upon
our horses and set out. I shot a red fox at the distance of
100 paces, with my double-barreled gun, loaded with a sin-
gle ball. At seven o'clock we crossed Panbian river ; our
horses were much fatigued, as we rode hard. I suppose
the distance to be 15 leagues. We observed a thick smoke

120 BACK TO PARK RIVER POST.

toward the Ribbone lakes, which makes me believe my
messenger will find the Indians there.

Oct. ijtJi. I found it necessary to alter the arrangement
of the people at the hills. None would remain under the
command of Lagasse, nor do I think him a fit person to
have property in charge. I therefore sent Hamel to take
charge, desiring Lagass6 to return to this place. I was also
obliged to leave here the two men who came with me to
re-enforce the mountain post to which I sent them with
Hamel. They took their baggage and some goods on their
backs. Having no horses, I dispatched two men with gum,
bark, and wattap, to repair and bring down the canoe we
had abandoned at Two Rivers. The Indians decamped,
saying they were going to hunt beaver on Two Rivers. But
they will soon be at my fort, as they no longer apprehend
danger.

Oct. i6th. At nine o'clock I mounted and set off alone
on my return. At Panbian river I killed a fat swan ; and
opposite Fort des Trembles," two bulls. It began to snow
and blow hard from the N. At three o'clock I reached
Two Rivers, where my two men had only just finished
repairing the canoe. The snowstorm increasing, I deter-
mined to stop for the night. We accordingly carried our
canoe into the woods, made a rousing fire, and took shelter
under her, where we were perfectly comfortable, though it
snowed all night.

Oct. ijth. The storm had abated, but it was very
cold, the ground deep with snow, and the weather hazy,
with a thick frimas. The men proposed to embark. I
mounted, and proceeded alone ; saw a few buffalo, and red
deer in abundance. At two o'clock I reached my fort,

" Unidentified ; there was no fort in existence on the E. side of Red r. in that
vicinity. Chaboillez's house had been called Fort Paubna ; and unless Fort
des Trembles was another name of it, Henry probably refers to the site of
Grant's house : see note ', p. 80. Tremble is good French for the aspen, as
tremblaie is for aspen-grove ; but either of these words appears oftener in
Canadian records as tremblier : see note ^*, p. 49.

GRIZZLY AND BLACK BEARS. 121

where I found the Indians awaiting my arrival. The fort
was finished, and all hands had been housed since the 15th
inst. I had been surprised this afternoon, when within a
few miles of my fort, to see the flag flying ; but my people
had mistaken the day of the week, supposing this to be
Sunday, and it was customary to hoist a flag on that day
at all our establishments in the North West. During my
absence the hunter had killed a large grizzly bear [Urstis
horribilis] about a mile from the fort. He had seen two
males and a female, but the latter escaped. My people
having cooked and eaten some of the flesh were taken very
ill, and most of them threw it up. This bear had been
wounded in the fore leg some time before by an arrow, the
iron head of which stuck fast in the bone, and was begin-
ning to rust. Grizzly bears are not numerous along Red
river, but more abundant in the Hair hills. At Lac du
Diable [Devil's lake], which is about 30 leagues W., they are
very common — I am told as common as the black bear
{^Ursiis americanus] is here, and very malicious. Near that
lake runs a principal branch of Schian [Cheyenne river],
which is partially wooded. On the banks of this river I
am informed they are also very numerous, and seldom
molested by the hunters, it being the frontier of the Sioux,
where none can hunt in safety ; so there they breed and
multiply in security.

Oct. i8th. My sick man is still pale and emaciated ; he
can scarcely walk, and has entirely lost his appetite. The
Indians decamped, some for the mountain, others to hunt
beaver on Two Rivers ; none of them will consent to go
above. My hunter plagued me for a small keg of liquor,
having vowed, on killing the grizzly bear, that he would
make a feast of rum. This is a common custom among the
Saulteurs, when they kill any uncommon animal ; if liquor
cannot be got they use the best provisions they can pro-
cure, but liquor is considered to have the greatest virtue
in appeasing the manes of the bear, and rendering thanks
to the Manitou. I was obliged to satisfy the fellow. He

122 HUNTING AND TRAPPING.

also required a quarter of a yard of scarlet cloth to hang
up as a sacrifice.''^ The Indians being all gone and my
buildings finished, I treated my people to a gallon of high
wine, with a few pounds of sugar and flour, to make a feast
for themselves after their hard labor.

This evening my sick man found himself suddenly
relieved by something which burst inside, when instantly
he felt a looseness and discharged a great quantity of foul
matter. He was soon after inclined to eat and appeared
much recovered. The wounded woman is perfectly well,
and does duty as if nothing had happened. My men have
caught 20 raccoons and 5 foxes.

Sunday, Oct. igtJi. The Indians who went toward the
mountain yesterday brought us in two cows. All the men
are setting traps along the river. They bring in daily
some raccoons, foxes, fishers, and wolves ; of martens
\Mtistela americaria], there are none. The raccoons are
very fat, having depouilles two or three inches thick, and
are excellent eating when stripped of their fat and
roasted.

Oct. 20th. Men out trapping. I examined my store,
shop, etc., and put everything in order. The kegs of high
wine I placed in a small cellar dug under the shop ; pow-
der and tobacco also. I have 15 ninety-pound packages of
skins and furs.

Oct. 2ist. Strong wind with heavy rain, which fell in
such torrents as to penetrate the earth and straw which
cover over our houses, and it was only by means of oil
cloth we could keep the property from getting wet. The
floors were covered with water, making us very uncomfort-
able. The rain continued all day and night.

Oct. 22d. I desired my men to begin to cut our winter

" During a voyage I lately made to the source of the Mississippi, I fre-
quently noticed a similar " sacrifice " the Ojibways had made on killing a moose,
the object being hung up on a tall stake planted at the water's edge. Some of
the ceremonies with which Indians used to appease the ghosts of dead bear
were curious : read for example the story the elder Henry tells, pp. 143-145.

WOOD USED FOR THE PARK RIVER POST.

123

stock of fuel — 120 cords of oak will suffice for the four fire-
places, as we shall leave early in the spring.

Oct. 2jd. Men employed cutting wood. We perceive a
thick smoke to the S. W. at no great distance. Desmarais
says it is the Sioux, who have killed the Indians that are
gone to the hills, and on their way homeward set fire to the
meadows. This is the custom with both Sioux and Saul-
teurs when they are out to war, and a party turns home-
ward. Should it be in winter, they seek high reeds or
rubbish, and if there is none to be found, they collect a
great quantity of dry wood and brush and set fire to
the pile. In course of the day I took a memorandum
of our buildings. In my opinion the men have worked
hard.

WOOD USED IN OUR ESTABLISHMENT AT PARK RIVER, AUTUMN OF 180O.

Stockades, 15 ft. long, oak,

do 8 ft., oak, for rembrits [?],

do 6 ft. for 3d lining to bastion,

do 5 ft. over the two gates,

do 7 to 15 ft., oak, for laths,

do 8 ft. for plank for gates,

do 7 ft. for plank for bastions,

Pegs, lyi ft. for stockades, etc., .

564

100

770

Total,

2,100

FOR DWELLING-HOUSE.

Oak logs of 10 ft, for the square, 72

do of 18 ft. for the pinions \j)ignons, gables], . . 18
of 15 ft. for the cloisons [partitions], . . .45

of 9 ft. for the covering, ..... 230

contg. 100 ft. for the sableries [sablikres, wall-plates], 6

contg. 100 ft. for the covering, .... 6

of II ft. for the aiguilles [rails?], .... 5

of 20 ft. for the faites [ridge-poles], ... 3

Squared posts, 8 ft. for doors and covers, .... 14

Posts, 4 ft. for windows, ....... Ii

Planks, 8 ft. for flooring, 105

Boards, 6 ft. for doors, beds, etc., 115

do
do
do
do
do
do

Total, . 630

124 WOOD USED, ETC.— MAYMIUTCH'S DESIGNS.

FOR STOREHOUSE.

Oak logs of 24 ft. for square, 12

Pine logs of 13 ft. for pinions, ...... 20

Oak logs of 9 ft. for covering, *...... 120

do of 24 ft. for faites, ...... i

do of 22 ft. for covering, ...... 2

do of II ft. for aiguilles, ...... 3

Oak posts of 5 ft. for doors, ....... 2

Ao planks of 5 ft. for doors, ..'... 3

do logs of 12 ft. for flooring, 50

Total, 213

FOR SHOP.

Oak logs of 15 ft. for the square 15

do of 13 ft. for the pinions, ..... 20

do of 9 ft. for the covering, ...... 73

do of 15 ft. for the faites, ...... 3

do of II ft. for the aiguilles, ...... 2

Oak posts of 5 ft. for the doors, ...... 2

do planks 8 ft. for the flooring, . . . . . .55

Total. 170

Pieces of timber and wood, . . . . . . 3- 113

Oak stick of 55 ft. for a flag-staiif, i

Total, 3- 1 14

Oct. 2^th. Employed Desmarais to put a touch-hole in
my double-barreled gun, which he did in an hour very
neatly, without proper tools. I shot a few ducks and
pheasants. My hunter came in with his canoe, bringing
two red deer, a swan, and some ducks.

Oct. 2jth. Maymiutch came from below with a few
skins. He begged hard for liquor ; I gave him some, when
he began to drink with my hunter, who also came for rum.
He told me Maymiutch wished him to stop hunting and
go below, so that I might be obliged to pay a higher price
for meat than I do. They shall have liquor after this for
nothing but fresh meat. This dirty trick is his thanks
for my kindness to him since we left the Forks. He has
given my hunter an elegant drum, trimmed with all the

WABENO— INDIAN GRATITUDE— PROPOSED JOURNEY. 12$

symbols of the Wabbano " medicine, a number of different
medicines, and songs concerning that ceremony — articles of
superior value and high consideration among these people ;
when given with a view to obtain any particular favor, that
is seldom denied. However, on this occasion I succeeded
in breaking the treaty. It might be considered ungrateful
in Maymiutch to debauch my hunter away, but similar
affairs occur so frequently among the Saulteurs that we
think them not at all extraordinary. Gratitude they have
none ; treat them ever so well and satisfy every demand for
a long time, then refuse them but a glass of liquor, and all
past obligations are forgotten in an instant; those very
persons are then your greatest enemies.

Sunday, Oct. 26th. Maymiutch having failed in his de-
sign, came to me and offered to go in search of the Red
Lake Indians, and inform them I had built here. He
wished to make friends with me, seeing I cared not a fig for
him. I was anxious to hear from these Indians and I know
of none so fit to search for them as himself, he being well
acquainted in that quarter. I therefore arranged it with
him. To better perform the journey, and prevent him from
circulating falsehoods which might deter the Indians from
coming this way, I determined to accompany him, with one
of my men. We therefore began to make shoes, as I pro-
posed to set off to-morrow. During the night my hunter
got an alarm and knocked at the gate, saying he had heard
the report of a gun in the plains, but I found it was only
the door of my men's house that had slammed.

Oct. 2yth. At daybreak I was up and sent for the
Indians ; crossed over my horse, and immediately set out
on our journey, taking only a few fathoms of tobacco. The

'^ Waubeno or Wabeno, as now usually spelled ; accent on the last syllable.
The term is applied to the ceremony, to its charm, to the juggler himself, and
to his implements. A picture of the drum or tamborine is given on p. 223 of
Dr. W. J. Hoffman's Medewiwin of the Ojibway in Seventh Ann. Rep. Bur.
Ethnology for 1885-86, pub, 1 891, Washington, Gov't Pr. Off., pp. 143-300 — an
article replete with curious information on Ojibway superstitions, and hand-
somely illustrated. Tanner describes the "fashionable Wawbeno," p. 135.

126 JOURNEY TOWARD RED LAKE RIVER.

Indian and my man were also mounted, the former having
borrowed his brother's mare, and the latter riding the black
horse I brought from below. We had about a mile of strong
woods to pass, after which we came to small poplars and
willows in which we constantly roused red deer. At nine
o'clock we came to the little Riviere aux Marais '* which we
did not cross, but kept in the woods along the N. side of it.
Here the grass is very long, and we often had ugly bogs
and low watery ground to pass, in which our horses sunk
sometimes to their knees. The country is low, open, and
level. At twelve o'clock we came to the firm ground, of
fine plains and as delightful a country as on the W. side [of
Red river]. Red deer were very numerous here not long
ago, as the tops of the oaks along this little river are all
broken and twisted. The plums and other fruit bushes are
torn to pieces by bears. The river here takes a great bend
to the S. We therefore left it and took our course S. E.
over a fine level country. We saw a few bulls in the trav-
erse, and at sunset regained Riviere aux Marais at Grosse
Isle, where we camped. This little river takes its water out
of the low marshy country about the source of Two Rivers
and Lac des Voleurs [Thieves' lake] ; it is at first divided
into many branches, which run different courses to every
point of the compass before they join a few miles E. of this
camp ; then after an extraordinarily winding course, the
river empties into Red river a few miles above Park river.
Our Indian guide tells me that if we do not find Indians to-
morrow there will be no use of going any further, as they
must be still at Red lake. He had hopes of finding them at
this place, as it is their common route to Red river by land.
Oct. 28th. At sunrise we saddled and set off, crossed
[Snake] river, [perhaps in the vicinity of Warren, seat of

" This " Riviere aux Marais " must not be confounded with the one of the
same name in Manitoba, below Pembina. Henry crosses Red r. at his fort,
and is traveling in Minnesota, in Marshall Co., on a course S. of E. The
stream whose right bank he is now ascending is Snake r., on which is situated
Warren, seat of Marshall Co.

RED LAKE RIVER — BLACK RIVER. 12/

Marshall Co., where the railroad now crosses], and directed
our course S. E. over an open level plain toward an island
of wood [islette de bois — clump of trees], which we could
scarcely discern. Here we found a herd of buffalo, but we
could see no wood, excepting that of the little river and of
the island ahead of us. On approaching the latter we found
some rising ground and barren hillocks, between which lay-
small lakes and marshes. Islands [clumps or patches] of
poplar and willows were now very frequent. At twelve
o'clock we came in sight of the tall wood of Red Lake river,
commonly called Riviere du Lac Rouge.'" We now had an
ugly country to pass, overgrown with small poplars, willows,
and long grass.- Red deer were very numerous, and for the
first time we saw numerous tracks and roads of the fallow
deer or chevreuil [^Cariactis virginianus], which we soon per-
ceived jumping in every direction. We crossed Black river
[present name] a few miles from its entrance. This small
river takes its water from several marshes to the N. E., but
at no great distance, and runs a winding course through a
country of wood and meadow until it empties into Riviere

" Issuing from the W. side of the lower one of the two great divisions of Red
1. , this river runs very crookedly, but on the whole little N. of W. through the
present Red Lake Indian reservation, to a place which rejoices in the name of
Moose Dung, Polk Co., but little S. of the S. boundary of Marshall Co. Here
it is joined from the N. by Thief r. ; Thief River Falls at their junction. Red
Lake r. then turns S., flows past St. Hilaire, and curves E. to the junction of
Clearwater r., its main fork, at the place called Red Lake Falls. Continuing
E. the river receives Black r., from the N., at a place called Huot. It contin-
ues past Gentilly and on to Crookston, county seat of Polk, where the railroads
now cross the river, and then curves N. W. past Fisher and Mallory to fall
into Red r. at East Grand Forks, opp. Grand Forks, N. Dak. — a place where
five railroad tracks now concenter. Grand Forks is a term which translates F.
Grandes Fourches ; the name dates back to very early times ; it is supposed to
have been given by Verendrye's people, about 1734, to the highest point to which
they then ascended Red r. Henry seems to have crossed Black r. at or near pres-
ent town of Wylie. On reaching the confluence of the Clearwater with Red Lake
r., he notes an " old wintering establishment." This was J. B. Cadotte's house.
I have before me notes on Thompson's journey through these parts. He left
Roy's house on Red r. near what he calls Salt rivulet. Mar. 23d, 1798 ; crossed
Red r. from W. to E. ; crossed and re-crossed what he calls Swamp r. (compare

128 CLEARWATER RIVER — UP RED LAKE RIVER.

du Lac Rouge [at Huot, Polk Co.]. Having crossed this
river, which is not more than 15 feet wide, we proceeded
through the woods to the banks of Red Lake river, and
came out exactly opposite [Red Lake Falls, at the mouth
of] Riviere a I'Eau Claire [Clearwater river], which falls in
on the S. from the S. E. This river is navigable for small
Indian canoes, but very rapid near the entrance, where
there is famous sturgeon-fishing in the spring — indeed, it
may be said to last all summer, unless the water is very low,
which was the case at present. Near the entrance of this
river are the remains of an old wintering habitation, now
fallen to the ground. Here we were in great expectation
of finding Indians, but were disappointed ; not one fresh
sign was to be seen. We proceeded up Riviere du Lac
Rouge on foot, leading our horses by the bridles, the wood
and the underbrush being too thick and strong to permit rid-
ing. We cut across the points of land, by which means we
were often near the river. This river here runs from E. to
W., is broad but shallow, and often interrupted by chains
and reefs of stones which run across from shore to shore ; in
some places are rapids about half a mile long, over which a
small Indian canoe would find some difficulty in passing.
But it must be observed this is a year of extraordinarily low
water, as the Indians tell me there is generally water enough
in this river for large canoes to pass with full loads. The
river now making a great bend in coming from N. to S.,

Henry's R. aux Marais), passed through a plain, and thus, by a route mostly
identical with Henry's, reached the mouth of the Clearwater at 11 a. m., Sun-
day, Mar. 25th, 1798. There he found the house of " Monsr. Cadot," whom
he also calls " Mons. de Chaddo." Cadotte was at home with his wife ;
a " Mons. Le Tems " was the opposition trader. Accompanied by Cadotte,
Thompson made an ineffectual attempt to reach Red 1. by way of Red Lake r. ;
Finding the road impracticable at that season, they returned to the house Mar.
31st. There Thompson stayed a week, when, on Apr. 8th, he "bade adieu to
Mr. and Mrs. Cadot," and started for Red 1. by way of Clearwater r. He
reached the lake Apr. 17th, and then passed on over to the Mississippi by way
of Turtle r. Cadotte's house of the previous season, 1796-97, had been on Red
1., a short distance S. of the exit of Red r. from that lake ; Henry speaks of this
establishment beyond.

TO THE MOUTH OF THIEF RIVER. 1 29

we left it here and gained the plains, where we mounted our
horses, crossed over a low level plain of about four miles,
when we again fell among small poplars and willows, then
on large wood, and immediately after came down to the
river at a place called Campement de Plumb, opposite Liard
[Cottonwood] river, which comes in here on the opposite
side of Red Lake river. Here also we expected to find
Indians, but there was no sign of any. Red and fallow deer
are very numerous. They have beaten paths in the woods
like those of the buffalo on the banks of Red river. It ap-
pears also that bears have been very plentiful, by marks on
the oak trees and fruit bushes. Here we stopped for the
night [on the E. bank of Red Lake river, at or near St.
Hilaire, Polk Co.]. The river runs from N. to S., and is very
rapid and shallow, but broader than below. The banks are
low and well wooded with the elm, liard, oak, poplar, and
bois blanc. My Indian guide was anxious for me to return,
saying we should find no Indians this side of Red lake. But
having come so far for nothing, I was determined to search
one day more, when, if we did not find them, we would re-
turn. He tells me there is but one other place where there
is any prospect of finding them, about half a day's journey
higher up the river, at the entrance of Riviere aux Voleurs.
Oct. 2gth. At sunrise we mounted and set off. The
country near the river is covered with small poplars and
willows, so intricate as to oblige us to seek the open coun-
try, which we found was little better than that near the
river, the grass being long, and frequently boggy. Our
course for some time was N. W., when we bore to the N.,
and then to the E., which is the course on which this river
comes from Red lake ; the country is low and level, with
stunted woods and small meadows. There are a few pretty
rising grounds that run N. and S., on which nothing grows
but short grass ; these are the only pleasant spots. They
are not more than a quarter of a mile wide, some less.
Deer of both kinds are numerous, but especially red deer.
At one o'clock we arrived at Riviere Voleuse or aux Voleurs

I30 IN CAMP AT THIEF RIVER.

(qui match it erck qui we scipei).'* Here we found an
Indian's tent, the master of which was surprised to see us,
and at first took us for Sioux from our being on horseback,
as he knew of no person who had horses in this part of the
country but the enemy. The poor fellow was so alarmed
on perceiving us that he scarcely knew what to do — whether
to defend himself or to fly ; but we were soon near him and,
observing his consternation, dismounted and called to him
that we were friends. Here we determined to remain ; so
we fettered our horses and sent them to feed.

The Indian, who is a young man, informs us that he has
been away from Red lake nearly a moon, and that he left
all the Indians waiting there for a trader whom they
expected to come by way of Fond du Lac ; but as the
water was so very low he supposed they could not get
through. At all events, he said, he expected his relatives
to join him soon, as they were to pass the winter about this
place, whence some of them would venture to hunt beaver
and bear at Lake Craw-shaw-bau-way-gaw-maw,'^ which
lies to the S., a few miles W. of I'Eau Claire, where fallow
deer also abound. This is the longest lake hereabouts,
being upward of three leagues long, but narrow. The true
maple [Acer saccharimint], grows in great plenty along this
lake, and it would be a capital place for making sugar, were
it not for the Sioux, who frequently come here in search of
the Saulteurs. Buffaloes, moose, red deer, fallow deer, and
bears, are numerous, and there is plenty of fish in the lake,
particularly large pike and dor6. He also informed us
that some of them were to winter northward on Lac aux
Voleurs, at the source of this small river.

This lake and river I am told derive their name from an
incident which occurred many years ago, when the Saul-
teurs obliged the Sioux to abandon this part of the country

'^ So copy, as the Indian phrase equivalent to the French terms of the text —
Thief r., Thieving r. , or R. of Thieves, already mentioned, at the junction of
which with Red r. Henry camps.

" Perhaps that lake in Polk Co. in the vicinity of a place called Maple Bay.

RETURN TO PARK RIVER POST. 131

and move southward. But a few Sioux families secreted
themselves in the woods about the lake, where they con-
tinued to hunt beaver for some years after all the rest of
their people had fled to the Mississippi. They were dis-
covered by the Saulteurs, who either drove them down this
river or destroyed them. One thing certain is that about
80 years ago the Saulteurs and Sioux were in perfect
enmity [amity ?], and both inhabited the country eastward,
more particularly Leech lake and its environs, which is
considered the headwaters of the Mississippi.

Our Indian host had speared some excellent sturgeon and
piccancan, of which he invited me to take what I would.
He had also plenty of dried meat and a few beaver skins.
I gave him some tobacco for his friends when they should
arrive, and desired him to tell them I should be happy to
see them at my place, when they had killed a few beaver.
Maymiutch assured them there was no danger from Sioux.

Oct. joth. Early this morning I bid the young man
farewell, telling him I hoped to see him and his friends
at my house with plenty of skins to trade. He smiled,
but said nothing. Having no further occasion to keep
along the river, we took our course directly homeward,
about W. N. W., passing through trembliers [aspen
groves — Populus tremuloides\ willows, tetes-de-femme [tus-
socks of long grass], and small meadows until twelve
o'clock, when we came to the open plain. At dusk we
arrived at our camp of the 27th.

Oct. J 1st. At daybreak we saddled, mounted, and came
on at a round gallop and trot, by the same road we passed
in going. We saw plenty of bulls and red deer, but did
not attempt to kill any. At four o'clock we arrived oppo-
site the fort, and were at once ferried over, with our
horses. The poor beasts were much fatigued, having trav-
eled hard since they left, mostly over bad roads. Soon
after my arrival my hunter came in with three very fat red
deer. I gave Maymiutch some liquor, and they both began
to drink, but I was not apprehensive he would attempt to

132 ACCIDENT — RUMORS OF WAR — DISPUTE.

seduce him away. I found that Desmarais had been visited
during my absence by a party of Saulteurs from Portage
la Prairie, who proposed to return with their famihes to
their own land during the winter, and had come thus far
ahead to see if there were any danger. The Indians from
the hills also had been in with a few beaver skins and some
d^pouilles ; they had seen no Sioux, contrary to our appre-
hension when we saw the smoke. It was themselves who
had made it, by accident. My men had nearly finished cut-
ting their firewood ; they had made a number of traps and
been very successful, particularly in taking raccoons and
foxes. My sick man was much better ; but another had
split his thumb with an ax in a shocking manner, and
having neglected it, the wound was in a sad condition.
I washed it with sal ammoniac until it bled, when the poor
fellow was dancing with pain, and swore he would rather
have it cut off.

Desmarais told me the Indians were forming a war-party
below us, near the Bois Perce, where several of them are
tented. Langlois' Indians, and some of mine, were to be
joined by a party of Crees and Assiniboines, who were to
assemble at my establishment at the mountain, very soon.
I did not like this news, being apprehensive they would
trouble our people there, and, perhaps, even pillage them.

This evening a warm dispute between Desmarais and the
men arose, concerning their trapping. It seemed that the
former had encroached on the latter's premises — that is, he
had set a line of traps on the same track, and within a few
hundred yards of a line they had previously made ; this
they considered as an infringement upon their rights, and
swore they would break his traps if he continued to
lengthen his tracks. The dispute was getting serious, when
they proposed to refer it to me. I soon put an end to
their argument by telling them that this time I would pass
over what had been said, but, in the future, the first one
who raised a dispute about rights and privileges would be
deprived of the liberty of visiting his traps, and so, if they

RUSH MATS — MAD WOLVES. 1 33

wished to hunt, they had better agree amongst themselves.
This evening the Indians were drinking very quietly.

Saturday, Nov. ist. At twelve o'clock two young men
came in from the Bois Perce. I inquired what the Indians
were doing. They told me the principal men were prepar-
ing for war, whilst the women were making mats for the
winter. These mats are made with long rushes, which are
laid parallel on smooth, level ground ; threads of the inside
bark of bois blanc, of the thickness of sturgeon twine,
are then passed through each rush, and all are drawn
so close together as to shed rain. They are made from 12
to 18 feet long, and 5 or 6 wide. With these mats the
Saulteurs construct their winter tents and cabins. They
are warm, yet airy, and far more comfortable than the birch
bark covering or the leather tents of the Meadow Indians.
The Saulteurs use bark for the summer only, as it makes a
cooler cabin than the rush mats, and is much lighter and
less bulky. I gave my people each a dram, this day being
considered amongst them as a great fete. The Indians
went back to their camp.

Sunday, Nov. 2d. Last night the wolves were very
troublesome ; they kept up a terrible howling about the
fort, and even attempted to enter Maymiutch's tent. A
large white one came boldly into the door and was advanc-
ing toward a young child, when he was shot dead. Some
of them are very audacious. I have known them to follow
people for several days, attempt to seize a person or a dog,
and to be kept off only by fire-arms. It does not appear
that hunger makes them so ferocious, as they have been
known to pass carcasses of animals, which they might have
eaten to their fill, but they would not touch flesh ; their
object seeming to be that of biting. The Canadians swear
that these are mad wolves, and are much afraid of them.

Nov. jd. Early this morning I sent two men to the salt
lake with two large kettles, to make salt ; but they never
having been there, I was obliged to go with them. There-
fore, about an hour after they were off, I mounted and rode

134 SALT MAKING— HUNTING — BRIDGE BUILDING.

after them. On examining the lake, we found the water
too shoal to dip without disturbing the muddy bottom.
We, therefore, pitched upon the little creek by which it
discharges into Park river ; but here the water was muddy
and thick, requiring to be strained through a piece of
woolen stuff. I left my men at work cutting wood and
enjoying the comfortable camp. I attempted to cross
Park river to chase a herd of buffalo, but it was impossible
to find a place where my horse could get through. I had a
stick, six feet long, which I ran into the mud and clay up
to my hand, without finding any hard bottom. I was
obliged to give up crossing ; but chased a herd of bulls,
and killed a tolerably fat one. Maymiutch here joined me ;
he had been hunting, but had killed nothing. As it was
not far from the fort, I gave him the animal to cut up, and
sent his family for it. I took only the tongue. In tying it
on behind me, my knife ran through my hand and cut my
thumb severely. On returning I found two Indians from
the hills, with 30 beaver skins ; they paid their debts. I
gave them liquor, and they began to drink. Soon after,
Tabashaw, with six others of Langlois' Indians, came on a
visit, being camped at the Bois Perce. They soon got a
dram from those who had liquor, and then troubled me
all the evening for more ; but I would not give them a
drop, as I was displeased with them for having left Reed
river and remained idle. Tabashaw and I had some hard
words ; however, they availed him nothing.

Nov. 4th. The Indians set off early to return to their
tents. I gave them a nine-gallon keg of liquor, on condi-
tion they would return to Red river, hunt, and pay their
debts. They made me many fine promises. I sent all my
men to make a bridge of logs over Park river, so that I
could cross with my horse to the S. side, should I wish to
hunt in that quarter.

One of Maymiutch's children, who was running about the
fort, fell into a heap of red-hot embers that had been left
by burning chips and other rubbish. It was some time

CHILD BURNED — MICE — BULLY BEATEN. 1 35

before he was perceived by his mother, when he was taken
out in a shocking condition. The father instantly pounded
and chewed a certain root and bark, which he sprinkled
over the burns after he had thoroughly moistened them by
taking water in his mouth and blowing it out. He then
covered the whole with a quantity of swan's down and put
the child to rest.

We are plagued by great numbers of mice, which destroy
almost everything but metals ; our strouds and blankets are
nearly all damaged, and they even carry off our beads. At
night we see them running in droves over the floor ; they
are not shy in the least. They often awake us by scamper-
ing over our faces and playing on our beds.

Nov. ^th. I sent two men in a small canoe up river
to hunt ducks and other wild fowl, of which there are
plenty. My hunter killed a bear, which I sent for. All
hands were out tending their traps. The two men returned
with a few wild fowl.

Nov. 6th. Two of my men had a boxing match, or rather
a rough and tumble fight. One of them had been taking
too many airs upon himself, bullying those whom he knew
were not an equal match for him, and had used some of them
very ill. This morning, when he as usual commanded one
to go for water and cook, another man, who was as strong
as himself, and with whom the bully had always been on
friendly terms, got up and told him if he wanted water he
should go for it in his turn ; that the young men would no
longer be his slaves ; and, since they were not strong enough
to defend themselves, he would take their part. A chal-
lenge was the consequence. To the joy of everybody, the
bully got a beating which made him as quiet as a child,
and the others began to crow over him. This afternoon
arrived from Riviere Voleuse the Indian I had seen there,
Le Pendu ; he informed me that some of the Red Lake
Indians had arrived there, and promised to see me in the
course of the winter. He told me no, trader had reached
Red lake when they came away and also that three Indians

136 LE PENDU— SAGACITY OF BUFFALO.

had gone down Riviere du Lac Rouge to hunt beaver below
Black river ; he supposed they would keep on to Grandes
Fourches, where they would abandon their canoes and
return to Riviere Voleuse by land with their beaver skins on
their backs. He was positive they would not come here,
as they traded with the Opposition, and would carry their
hunt to Leech lake. This information determined me to
go in search of them myself. I wished him to go with me,
but he made many excuses, such as having sore legs, etc.,
though I saw that fear was the real cause of his being so
backward. I applied to Maymiutch to accompany me,
but he was afraid to leave his child, whose burns were very
bad ; otherwise he would go with pleasure. Late in the
evening Charlo arrived on Crow's mare ; he brought ten
bears' skins and a few depouilles from Hair hills.

Nov. yth. Le Pendu returned early. I sent a fathom
of tobacco to the Indians by him. Mayimutch with his
family embarked and went down river to join those at
Bois Perce. Charlo went out to look for his mare, but did
not find her until late, and thought proper to remain here
all day. So no Indians were camped here but my hunter.
My men took great numbers of fat raccoons in their traps.
We saw a great herd of cows going at full speed southward,
but on coming to our track, which goes to the salt lake,
they began to smell the ground, and, as suddenly as if they
had been fired at, turned toward the mountain. It is sur-
prising how sagacious those animals are. When in the
least alarmed they will smell the track of even a single per-
son in the grass, and run away in a contrary direction. I
have seen large herds, walking very slowly to pasture, and
feeding as they went, come to a place where some persons
had passed on foot, when they would instantly stop, smell
the ground, draw back a few paces, bellow, and tear up the
earth with their horns. Sometimes the whole herd would
range along the route, keeping up a terrible noise, until one
of them was hardy enough to jump over, when they would
all follow and run some distance.

CHARLO AND HENRY START UP RIVER. 137

This evening I had a long conversation with Charlo. He
is a great rogue, but I was obliged to trust him for the
present, and with some difficulty persuaded him to accom-
pany me in search of the Indians about Grandes Fourches.
He told me it was dangerous, and hoped I would reward
him well for his trouble should we return safe. I promised
him half a keg of liquor if he would set off to-morrow
morning with me and take the mare with him. He was
afraid his brother would be displeased. However, the
liquor was too great a temptation ; so he consented to risk
his life and his brother's displeasure. We accordingly pre-
pared to depart, which required no great ceremony ; some
shoes were all we needed, with a gallon of high wine and
a fathom of tobacco for the Indians, if we found them.

Nov. 8th. We were up early, saddled, and set off, taking
one other man along on the black horse. We crossed
Park river on the bridge and proceeded through a low
meadow overgrown with willows, which appear to run out
in the plains for three miles. At ten o'clock we came to
Salt river ; '* there the willows ended in fine open country.
We had some difficulty in getting our horses over, as they
sank in the mud up to their bellies, and one of them stuck
fast. It was eleven o'clock before we got him out, which
we did by cutting a quantity of long grass to support him.
We were mud and dirt up to the eyes. Made a fire and
refreshed ourselves. Salt river, like its neighbor. Park
river, takes its waters in the Hair hills, where it comes
down fresh and sweet, halfway to the level plain, where it is
increased by small streams issuing from salt ponds, and
soon after makes a perfect brine; which, after a winding

'^ Or Big Salt r., as it is also called now, for which see note ', p. 95.

The mouth of Salt r. is given by Thompson as the site of Roy's N. W. Co.
house, at which he arrived at 9.30 a. m., Thursday, Mar. 22d, 1798. Roy was
at home, and Thompson stayed overnight before crossing Red r. , en route to
Red 1. and the Mississippi. What Roy this was, of the dozen or more who
figure in the annals of those times, we are not informed — possibly the same
one who had the house on Cass 1., at which Pike stayed Feb. I2th-i4th, 1806 :
see Pike, ed. 1895, p. 157. Henry nowhere mentions Roy's house on Red r.

138 BIG SALT RIVER — TURTLE RIVER.

course, empties into Red river. The banks are par-
tially wooded. At twelve o'clock we continued on a
fine level plain, keeping the line of wood of Red river
near us on the left. We saw buffalo and red deer in
great abundance, but did not molest them. We next
came along a narrow marais," which runs about five
leagues on the edge of the wood, from nearly the entrance
of Salt river to that of Turtle river. It is full of wild fowl,
feeding on the plentiful wild rice. We shot a few ducks,
which were excessively fat. We then came to the entrance
of Turtle river," which falls in from the S., running about
six miles on a line with Red river, before it empties into
the latter. We proceeded along its banks to the elbow,
which makes a sudden bend in turning N. from the W.
We were some time looking for a good crossing place, but
found none, this river being of the same nature as Salt and
Park rivers ; like them, it rises in the Hair hills, by three
branches, which, having joined, both its soil and water
change. The fine gravel and sandy bottoms turn into
muddy clay, and the clear, sweet stream into a muddy
brine, which issues from a large salt marsh to the S., 12
miles in length and one-fourth of a mile broad. This marsh,
which lies about halfway between Red river and the Hair
hills, is a famous place for buffalo, as, indeed, are all salt
lakes and marshes. We had much trouble in crossing ; my
man was pitched over his horse into the mud and water,
and cut a most pitiable figure. The Indian waded over,

" This is Morse's slough, on which is situated Walshville, Walsh Co., N.
Dak. It is what would be called on the Lower Mississippi a chenal ^carti, or
" snicarty."

'" This " neighbor" of Salt r., as Henry aptly calls it, arises by N. and S.
forks in the W. of Grand Forks Co., N. Dak., on and somewhat over the
border of Nelson Co. , and loops through the former county to fall into Red r.
in the N. E. corner of the N. E. township of that county. About 5 m. above
its mouth is the town of Turtle River, and from this point a narrow slough
connects with Red r., some 6 m. higher up the latter, or halfway to the town
of Grand Forks. A branch of the name of English cr. joins Turtle r., at or
near the station Manvel, where the railroad crosses the river. Henry camps
to-day near this place.

GRAND FORKS OF RED RIVER. 1 39

and led his mare by the cord. My horse was strong and
active ; I ventured in, and got safe through without a
ducking. Here we thought proper to stop for the night,
as there was a pond of fresh water near us — none of the
sweetest, but rather foul and stagnant ; but it was too late
to go to Red river. We saw buffalo and red deer in every
direction. The country is smooth and open, without a
stick to be seen, except the woods of Red river, and some
spots along Turtle river. Our Indian advised us to be on
our guard during the night, to have our guns, fresh primed,
alongside us, not to sleep too hard, and on the least noise
to jump up. We had seen several wounded animals in the
course of the day, but supposed it to have been done by
some of our people.

Sunday, Nov. gth. Charlo was in no hurry to proceed
this morning ; he said we must be cautious, as it was all level
open country ahead, and the grass was short ; the enemy
might discover us at a distance, hide along the bank of the
river, and knock us over en passant. At nine o'clock we
set out, holding the same S. course as yesterday. We made
a traverse to reach Red river ; when we came near the
woods we crossed a small creek, which comes E. from the
plains. Buffalo and red deer were not so numerous as yes-
terday ; this makes our Indian uneasy, as he tells me we
are approaching a place on the annual war road of the
enemy, where they have been known to remain for nearly
a month at a time, watching for any Indians that might be
coming down Riviere du Lac Rouge [to the present site
of Grand Forks]. We kept near the wood, soon entered it,
and went on with great precautions until we came opposite
Grandes Fourches, or entrance of the Riviere du Lac
Rouge, which falls in from the E., and is about the same
breadth as Red river, which keeps its direction from the S.
They both appear very crooked. The soil, banks, and
muddy beach are the same as below, and so are the large
woods, with the addition of bois inconnu and prickly ash
\Xanthoxylum. americanuvt], of which there is an abun-

I40 SIOUX CAMP AT MOUTH OF RED LAKE RIVER.

dance. The water appears very deep at the confluence, and
my guide tells me that many sturgeon winter here ; we saw
several jump. Our first object was to look for any sign of
the enemy. We saw several old war camps, and a range
of elm-bark cabins, which our guide tells me were erected
last summer by the Sioux, who remained nearly a month.
We found also a camp of this summer, of about lOO men,
who had been here before the leaves were full grown ; but
we saw no fresh tracks. Near this last war camp was a
great quantity of horse dung, and stakes driven into the
ground to fasten their horses. Being satisfied there was no
enemy near, we determined to stop for the night, in hopes
of seeing the Indians we were pursuing. We assisted
Charlo to make a raft, on which he crossed Red river to
search for them. My man and myself arranged a snug
camp, and boiled some fat ducks for supper. There were
plenty of wild fowl here, but we did not fire, for fear of
alarming any Indians who should be within hearing ; these
ducks were the remainder of yesterday's hunt.

About dusk our Indian returned; he had been some dis-
tance up the E. branch, but saw no sign of anybody. He
found several beaver cabins along the river, but none had
been worked ; this made me suppose the Indians had not
yet come thus far. I therefore proposed to wait a few
days in hopes of their arrival ; but this did not please our
guide. I then told him I was anxious to see Goose river, as
I wished to send my Indians there in the spring to hunt
beaver, and I would be pleased if he would go with me.
He started many objections. However, I prevailed upon
him to accompany me, on condition I would give him a
treat of high wine on our return to this place, where I
intended to leave the small keg en cache. He informed me
that the country on the E. side is the same as on the W.,
open and level, with no wood excepting that on the banks
of the river.

Nov. loth. At daybreak we mounted and proceeded
along the wood, cutting from point to point, on a fine level

SAND HILL RIVER. I4I

plain. At sunrise we could distinguish the Hair hills on
the right. They appear high and barren ; no wood seems
to grow on them S. of Park river, excepting that on the
banks of the different branches of the small rivers. Those
blue stripes of wood of Turtle river, running up the
mountain, formed a delightful contrast this morning with
the barren straw-colored hills ; but as the sun rose, it van-
ished. Buffalo are not very numerous ; we seldom see a
herd of cows. Red deer are seen continually in droves
near the woods. At one o'clock we came opposite Riviere
aux Buttes de Sable [Sand Hill river '^'J, which comes in
from the E. Near the entrance of this little river the
wood suddenly ceases on both sides of Red river for about
a mile ; then it begins again for a half a mile, again ceases
for the same distance, and once more begins. Intervals
of this kind become more frequent as we proceed. At
this first open space we had a fine view of the plains on
both sides of Red river, and of the course of Riviere aux
Buttes de Sable, whose wood soon ends. This small river
derives its name from some barren, sandy hills about 15
leagues to the E.; it takes its water out of the same low
boggy country and small lakes whence Riviere I'Eau Claire
does, but, taking a more direct western course, passes S. of
Lake Craw-shaw-bau-way-gaw-maw, and within a few miles
of that lake. In the upper part, in the strong wood, this
river is of some considerable breadth and has high banks ;
but as it approaches the plains, it dwindles away until it is
lost in a large marsh, on the W. side of which it reappears ;
and it is only a creek where it empties into Red river. At
four o'clock we reached the entrance of Goose river, or
Riviere aux Outardes [at Caledonia, Traill Co., N. Dak."]

^' Henry describes the river well. It heads in marshes about the S. E. cor-
ner of Polk and N.E. corner of Norman Co., Minn., but after that runs entirely
in the latter (excepting a dip into Norman at the N. W. corner of the White
Earth Indian Reservation), on an average due W. course. Two railroads cross
it, near places called Fertile and Edna.

"'Goose r., including its tributaries, arises in Nelson Co. and western parts of
Grand Fork Co., whence it enters Steele Co., in which its main forks join ; it

142 GOOSE RIVER.

Here we stopped for the night — indeed this was the extent
of our journey to the S., as nothing could induce our guide
to cross Goose river. For we were near the enemies' land ;
we had seen several war camps during the day, and here
we found the sign of 30 tents of last year, which our
guide assured me was a Sioux camp. We saw also poles
on which they had stretched beaver skins, old broken
horse-travailles," some tent-poles, and plenty of horse-
dung. Goose river takes its water from the Hair hills, in
small lakes and large marshes. It has several branches,
but three principal ones, which join a short distance after
leaving Hair hills. The water is fresh, and the bed hard
with stones, gravel, and sand ; its course is very winding.
Beavers appear to be very numerous, but we kept as
quiet as possible, made no fire, fired no gun, and held our
horses always near us ; while the Indian was continually
on the lookout from the tops of the oaks. We crossed
Goose river here without any trouble, and I climbed up one
of the highest trees to have a view southward. The country
appeared the same as that we had passed through, open
and level, with no woods to be seen, excepting those on
Red and Goose rivers. The former holds its course from

then traverses Traill Co., on S. E. and finally E. courses. The main stream is
crossed in three places by railroads — at Portland, Mayville, and Hillsboro, all
in Traill Co. The county seat of the latter, Caledonia, is situated on the
river, close to its mouth. At this point Henry is just about 60 m. in an air line
from his fort, a little E. of S.

*3 Travail a cheval, pi. travails a cheval, literally horse-litter, also called in
English travail, travaille, travois, traverse, and travee. It is a sort of drag
much used by Indians, voyageurs, and coureurs in the Northwest. It consists
of two long poles, sometimes of several Indian lodge-poles, one end of each or
all of which is fastened to the horse's side, while the other drags on the ground.
The poles of opposite sides are connected by cross-pieces, or otherwise lashed
together, and a sacking of canvas or hides may be stretched between the poles
to complete a litter for the reception of a person or other things. The French
plural is often erroneously given as iravaux, as if it were the plural of travail,
meaning "work"; but it has nothing to do with this, the etymology of the
word being from Lat. trabeculum, diminutive of trabs, a beam, through such
forms as travallum and trabale, meaning a trave, brake, or shackle.

WILD RICE RIVER. 143

the S., and the latter from the W. The wood is not so
long or large as below. The oaks are stunted, the elms,
liards, etc., are small ; the soil appears more sandy ; the
bed of Red river is firm and frequently stony ; the reaches
are short and very crooked ; the bends, sudden. It is
here about half as wide as at Pembina river, but has
plenty of water.

A few miles above, on the E,, is Riviere a la Folle Avoine
[Wild Rice river"], navigable for small Indian canoes. This
river takes its water from a lake of the same name in the
strong woods, but soon enters the plains, where it runs a
winding course, receiving several small streams ; its low
banks are tolerably well wooded. A short distance N. of
this river, soon after it enters the plains, is a large spot of
wood called La Grosse Isle de la Riviere a la Folle Avoine,
a famous place for fallow deer. The country on the E. is
very low for 12 or 15 leagues, when, on approaching the
pines and strong wood, we meet with some sandy rising
grounds and barren hillocks. Beavers are numerous along

'* The principal drainage of Norman Co., Minn., heading in the marshy east-
ern part of that county, and also somewhat over its boundary in Becker and
Beltrami cos. Its ultimate sources thus closely approach the sources and
uppermost courses both of the Red r. itself and of the Mississippi. Most of the
lakes referred to are comprised within the present White Earth Indian reserva-
tion, which occupies portions of all three of the counties named ; some are just
over that divide between Hudsonian and Mexican waters which is known as
Nicollet's Height of Land. The general course of Wild Rice r. is W. for 75 m.
or more, representing about the direct distance between Red r. and Lake Itasca ;
but in approaching Red r., Wild Rice r. divides in two channels, whose mouths
are some 10 m. apart. This division occurs in the vicinity of Ada, seat of Nor-
man Co., and both channels are crossed by the G. N. Ry. near their separation.
The main channel loops between Goldner and Perry, and then past Hendrum,
to fall into Red r. close to Halstad, Minn., and Hague, N. Dak. The other
channel runs more directly N. W., to fall in about a mile below Henry's position
at the mouth of Goose r., and thus nearly opp. Caledonia, N. Dak. This other
channel is known now as Marsh r., being that Riviere aux Marais which Henry
describes beyond: see note^°. Ada is on this Marsh r., as are also places called
Marsh River and Colenso. The N. P. R. R. crosses Wild Rice r. above its
separation in two channels, at Heiburg. Other names of the river have been
Manominee and Pse.

144 CHEYENNE RIVER AND INDIANS.

this river, and from the number of small branches which fall
into it, they cannot be destroyed for many years to come.
Large animals are also in great numbers.

Beyond this river, about 12 leagues by land, is Schian
[Cheyenne^'] river, on the W. This derives its name from
a formerly numerous tribe of Indians, who inhabited its
upper part. They were a neutral tribe between the Sioux
and the Saulteurs for many years ; but the latter, who are
of a jealous disposition, suspected they favored the Sioux.
A very large party having been once unsuccessful in discov-
ering their enemies, on their return wreaked their vengeance
on those people, destroying their village and murdering
most of them. This happened about 60 years ago, when
the Saulteurs were at war with their natural enemies, the
Sioux of the Plains, who are the only inhabitants of St.
Peter's river. The Schians having been nearly extermi-
nated, abandoned their old territories and fled southward
across the Missouri, where they are now a wandering tribe.
Their numbers have increased suprisingly. They are gen-
erally in amity with their neighbors, the Gens de Vache,

'*This Cheyenne r., not to be confounded with a large tributary of the Mis-
souri of the same name, is by far the longest branch of Red r. Its main course,
or what Henry calls the North Fork, arises on the Coteau de Missouri, nearly or
quite as far W, as the longitude of Bismarck, N. Dak. ; runs N. E. in Wells
Co. and E. in Benson Co., and in Eddy Co. forms the whole S. boundary of the
present Devil's Lake Indian reservation (with a little overlapping in Ramsey
Co.). It continues E. in Nelson Co., turns S. through Griggs and Barnes into
Ransom Co., meanders the latter very crookedly eastward, continues E.
through Richland Co., and when about lo m. from Red r. turns N. into Cass
Co., and runs N. in the latter, nearly parallel with Red r., to fall into the last
named river about lO m. N. of Fargo. In all this long and very circuitous
course, Cheyenne r. receives no very notable tributaries, as its drainage area is
exceptionally narrow for its length, being hemmed in on the N. and E. by var-
ious rivers we have already rehearsed, and on the S. and \V. by Jacques,
James, or Dakota r. The principal branch is the united stream of Maple r. and
Rush r., which falls in in Cass Co., only 6 or 8 m. N. W. of Fargo. As will be
seen further on, Henry considers Cheyenne r. to be the N. one of two " princi-
pal branches" which compose Red r., his S. branch being Red r. itself above
the mouth of the Cheyenne. The forms of the name are very numerous,
Keating, p. 39, has Shienne or Shahiada r.

BOIS DES SIOUX RIVER. I45

the Panis [Pawnees], the Tetons (a tribe of Sioux on the
Missouri), and the Mandanes.

Red river has two principal branches ; the north one
[Cheyenne river] takes its water out of a large marsh and
some small lakes about 15 leagues from the Missouri, where
there are no woods — nothing but a few willows. It runs E.
within a few miles of Lac du Diable [Devil's lake], oppo-
site which it begins to have well-wooded banks ; and as it
increases in size, the valley spreads and the banks are high.
This branch is navigable only for small canoes, in the
spring, when the water is high. Beavers are more numerous
than elsewhere ; grizzly bears are to be seen in droves ; and
it may be called the nursery of buffalo and red deer. It is
a delightful country, but seldom can our Saulteurs kill a
beaver there without falling in with their enemies, who are
no great beaver hunters.

The South branch [Red river itself '^'J takes its water from

** Henry is noting the origin of Red r, as it was in his day and long after-
ward supposed to be — in Lake Traverse, which separates the N. E. corner of
South Dakota from Traverse Co., Minn. Lake Traverse comes very close to
Big Stone 1., a principal source of the Minnesota or St. Peter's r., and in a
certain sense the two great rivers do lay their heads together: for some details of
this approximation of two lakes, one discharging ultimately into Hudson's bay
and the other into the Gulf of Mexico, see Lewis and Clark, ed. 1893, p. 89.
But: at a place on Red r. called Breckenridge, seat of Wilkin Co., Minn., a
river comes in from the E. whose course is veiy much longer than what is left of
Red r. above that place. Therefore, this is the main continuation of Red r.,
and what remains of the old Red r. between Breckenridge and Lake Traverse
takes a different name — Bois des Sioux or Sioux Wood r. — a phrase found
as " Boise de Sioux " on the latest G. L. O. map of Minnesota. The origin of
this name is found in a certain grove or clump of trees, called Bois des Sioux,
which was "supposed to be the northernmost limit of the undisputed property
of the Sioux on Red River," Keating's Long, II. 1824, p. 13. This section
was also called shortly Sioux r. — a name which sometimes extended much
further down Red r. , in the debatable land which was claimed both by Sioux
and Ojibways. Sioux r. is said by Keating, ibid., p. 12, to be called by the
Sioux themselves Kan toko, "from a thicket of plum bushes near its head."
The Bois des Sioux is said to have been about 9 m. up the river of that name,
i.e., that distance above its confluence with the main branch from Otter Tail 1.

On this understanding. Red r. now comes from the E. through Wilkin Co.,
from Otter Tail Co., Minn., and its course is traced upward a long way further

146 OTTER TAIL FORK OF RED RIVER.

a chain of lakes, which by means of one or two short carry-
ing-places communicates with the St. Peter's river. This
branch at some seasons is navigable for large canoes, and is
the country where Sioux are generally to be found at any
season. Its course is winding and in some places rapid,
and after passing within sight of Montagne de Chef forms
a junction with the north branch [Cheyenne river] just as
they enter the level country. Several other branches empty
into it, but none from any great distance. From the forks
downward it is a fine river, with a sandy bottom and some
rapids, and is navigable for large canoes.

still — past Fergus Falls, and on to Otter Tail 1., the largest one in the county —
past this to, Rush 1. — on to Pine 1. and Little Pine 1. — still on through lakes out
of Otter Tail Co., into Becker Co. — northward further to the so-called Height
of Land 1. — onward through more lakes, into the White Earth Indian reserva-
tion— there through Round 1., Many Point 1., Elbow 1., and others — over the line
into Beltrami Co., in the S. W. corner of which are the sources of the Red
River of the North, fully abreast of the source of the Mississippi in latitude,
and only some 12 or 15 m. due W. of Lake Itasca itself! These upper reaches of
Red r. have not long been fully established, though in their main features they
have been known as Otter Tail r. They would not be imagined from the latest
G. L. O. map of Minnesota, which cuts off Red r. before it comes even as high
as Fergus Falls, and turns it into the course of its principal branch from the N.,
called Pelican r. ; but they are carefully delineated on the Jewett map. One of
the larger collateral sources of Red r. is Toad r., which comes S. from Toad 1.
into Pine 1. The most practically important relation between Red and Mis-
sissippian waters is probably that between Otter Tail 1. and Portage 1., connect-
ing Red r. with sources of Crow Wing r. Even so bare an outline as this will
show that Bois de Sioux r. is by no means the true Red r. above Brecken-
ridge, but merely the discharge of Lake Traverse into Red r. Once again : far
as we have thus traced the fish-hook bend of Red r. in Minnesota, it does not
compare in length with Cheyenne r. in North Dakota. The source of the
Cheyenne is the most remote origin of Red r. — just as thesourceof the Missouri
is the most remote origin of the Mississippi.

The principal tributary of Lake Traverse is one named Muslinka r. on the
latest G. L. O. map of Minnesota ; upon this is Wheaton, seat of Traverse Co.,
Minn. The word means hare or rabbit ; thus, we read in Keating's Long, II.
1824, p. 7 : "we stopped to dine upon the banks of what is termed Mushtincha
Watapan, (Hare River.)" But Rabbit r. is present name of the next stream
below, mainly in Wilkin Co. Lake Traverse was once the site of a H, B. Co.
post, 2 m. from its head, at the very place where Long found one of the Colum-
bia Fur Co., in 1823, ibid., p. 226, and pi. 6.

BUFFALO AND WILD RICE RIVERS. I47

On leaving Riviere des Schians we soon reach Riviere
aux Boeufs [now Buffalo river"] from the E. This has two
principal branches ; one from the S. E. and the other from
the N. E.; they both take their water out of a number of
small lakes in the strong wood, and, after a long winding
course through the open plain, join within about five
leagues of Red river. This river is also navigable for small
canoes, and large ones have been known to ascend the E.
branch in the spring, when the waters were high.

About seven leagues by land beyond this river, Riviere
aux Oiseaux Puants or Vulture river^* comes in from the W.

'^' The reader will remember that Henry is not traveling now — he has stopped
in his camp on Goose r., and is only going on paper. Buffalo r. is a large
forked stream, whose main course flows from Buffalo 1. and others in the maze
of lakes in Becker Co., Minn., in and near the southern part of the White
Earth Indian reservation, runs N. W., turns S. W. into Hawley Tp. of Clay
Co. , continues nearly W. till it receives its main fork from Otter Tail Co. ,
through Clay Co., and from their junction flows about N. W. into Red r. at
Georgetown, Clay Co., Minn., opp. Trysil, Cass Co., N. Dak. The N. P.
R. R., going E. from Moorhead, crosses the S. fork of Buffalo r. atTenny, and
afterward crosses and re-crosses the main or E. fork at or near Stockwood,
Muskoda, Hawley, and Winnipeg Junction. The mouth of Buffalo r. is a few
miles lower down Red r. than that of the Cheyenne, instead of being higher up,
as Henry's text implies in saying that we reach Buffalo r. after leaving the Chey-
enne. Nicollet marks Buffalo r. with the alternative name Pijihi.

^^ The "stinking birds" here said are turkey-buzzards {Catkartgs aura). This
river is now called Wild Rice r. — to be distinguished from all those so named in
Minnesota. Nicollet uses the alternative name Psihu ; this is the same Sioux
word as the Pse of note ^^ \ Keating calls it Pse r., p. 39. Tanner, p. 142,
speaks of " the Gaunenoway, a considerable river which heads in the Chief
Mountain, and runs into Red River, several days' journey from Lake Traverse."
This " Gaunenoway " stands for Manominee. Tanner also has, p. 140 : " Due
west from Lake Traverse, and at the distance of two days' travel, is a mountain,
called Ogemahwudju (chief mountain)," i. e., Henry's Montague de Chef, given
as source of this Wild Rice r. The stream flows mainly in Richland Co., N.
Dak., where for a long distance it closely hugs the W. side of Red r. — with the
C, M., and St. P. R. R. between the two. It enters Cass Co., and falls into
Red r. a few miles above Fargo ; town or sta. Wild Rice at its mouth.

Above the mouth of Wild Rice r. , Fort Abercrombie was established pursuant
to A. of C, March 3d, 1857, and orders from hdqrs. of the army, June 24th,
1857, at a point on the W. bank of Red r. 12 m. N. of the confluence of Bois
des Sioux and Otter Tail rivers, the intention being to build near the head of

148 FORT ABERCROMBIE — PELICAN RIVER.

This small stream takes its water by several branches in the
environs of Montagne de Chef ; its course is very crooked,
running through a fine open country, with partially wooded
banks. Beavers are numerous here ; Charlo informs me he
saw plenty two summers ago, on a war excursion, when they
crossed this river southward in search of the enemy. Be-
yond this small river wood soon ceases on both sides of Red
river; for about 15 leagues only stunted willows are seen.
The country is beautiful, level, and open ; the soil barren
and sandy, with some stones. Montagne de Chef is on the
W.; it here takes that name, but it is the same ridge, run-
ning in the same direction as the Hair hills ; only the latter
loses its wood at Park river, and is all barren ground until it
reaches this well-wooded mountain.

Soon after reaching wood again on Red river, we arrive
at Pelican river," from the E. This is navigable for small
canoes, and even large ones have ascended it in the spring.
It receives its water from several considerable lakes, the
principal of which are Pelican lake, Lac de Bois Blanc

navigation, " in the vicinity of a place known as Graham's Point, Minn." The
position is nearly opposite places now called McCauleyville and Kent, Minn.
The Chic, Milw. and St. P. R. R. runs through the site. The name stands
" Ambercombie " on a map before me. Lt. Col. J. J. Abercrombie arrived on
the spot Aug. 28th, 1858, and the troops were quartered for the winter of 1858-
59. The post was abandoned July 25th, 1859 ; re-occupied July, i860 ; attacked
by Sioux, Sept. 3d and Sept. 6th, 1862 ; building finished in Feb., 1863 ; it was
operative in 1873, when I last heard of it.

*^ Pelican r. is present name of that branch of Red r. which runs S. from
Pelican and other lakes in Becker and Otter Tail cos. , and falls into Red r.
a little W. of Fergus Falls. But this does not seem to be exactly the stream
which Henry means, and there is some further difficulty in following out the
remainder of the account of Red r. which Henry gives, as will be remembered,
upon hearsay evidence. For example, I do not know what " Lac de Travers"
he mentions in this connection ; or what his " Riviere aux Schaitake" can be,
unless it be present Pelican r. ; or how Red r. can be said to have a " direct
course," " due N." from Otter Tail 1. to Lake Winnipeg, considering the fish-
hook bend we have traced, note'". Waiving some such points as these, which
do not seem clear, we find Henry presenting a good outline of the traverse /ar
I'aile de corbeau from the Otter Tail waters of Red r. to the Crow Wing branch,
of the Mississippi ; and we may take his account on this main understanding
without further criticism in detail.

CONNECTIONS OF RED RIVER IN MINNESOTA. I49

[Basswood lake], and Lac de Travers [Traverse lake].
These adjoin the strong wood, and are supplied by many
rivulets. Leaving Riviere aux Schaitake [sic], Red river
becomes shallow and rapid, with frequent reefs of stone.
There is, however, no fall or cascade, but continual rapids.
Passing these rapids, which are navigable for large canoes
with full loads of 70 pieces, baggage included, we come to
a small round lake [?], which is crossed from N. to S., not
more than a mile, when a short, narrow rivulet succeeds to
Otter Tail lake [Lac a la Queue de Loutre]. This is the
principal source of Red river, and is about nine miles in
circumference ; its shores are partially wooded, and the
surrounding country is level and open — on the whole, a
delightful place.

The direct course of Red river, from Otter Tail lake to
Lake Winipec [Winnipeg], may be said to run due N., or
rather W. of N., through as pleasant a country as there is
in America, with plenty of water for navigation, an excel-
lent, fertile soil, and the best of wood for every purpose.
Tall oaks are to be found, as straight as a reed, without a
branch for 30 to 50 feet from the ground. The Hard is of
extraordinary size ; I have measured them of seven fathoms
circumference, at five feet from the ground. The elm and
bois blanc are also very large, and so are many of the ashes.
There is abundance of wood on the banks of the river to
answer every purpose for ages to come.

On the S. side of Otter Tail lake is a portage about a mile
long, through a fine, open plain to a small lake ; then again
a short portage to another small lake, on the S. side of
which issues a small creek, running southward, and soon
falling into Leaf lake, which is of no great size. Here com-
mences Leaf river, which is broad, shallow, and frequently
interrupted by stones and rapids ; but large canoes can pass
with ease, full loaded. Having run E. for about 12 leagues,
Leaf river enters the strong wood, the meadows stretching
southward ; a few leagues more, and it empties into Riviere
a L'Aile du Corbeau [Crow Wing river], which meets it

150 END OF THIS EXCURSUS.

from the N. E. After this junction it bears the name of the
latter river, and then becomes more navigable ; it runs a S.
E. course of about 15 leagues to the Mississippi, which
here comes in from the N. E. Having received its prin-
cipal waters from Leech lake, Petit Lac Winipec [Winni-
bigoshish lake], [Upper] Red Cedar [Cass] lake, and a num-
ber of smaller lakes and rivers, from a great bend toward
the S. and S. E., where it receives the discharge of Sandy
lake [Lac de Sable], the Mississippi then turns to a S. W.
course until it receives Riviere a L'Aile du Corbeau, when
it takes a more southern direction, receiving innumerable
small rivers in its course.

But to return to my journey. We passed an uncom-
fortable night ; the air was cold, and we made no fire for
fear of being discovered. Every wolf or other animal that
came near us we supposed was the enemy, and were in a
state of alarm the whole night.

Nov. nth. We took a farewell view of the country
southward from the top of a large oak. The mirage was
fine as the sun rose, and the prospect delightful. Goose
river, on the right, wound over the plains to the W. until it
divided into several branches, which, soon after reaching the
Hair hills, appeared like blue, serpentine stripes across the
barren ground until lost to view. On the left, Red river
stretched southward through a level country as far as the
eye could reach. On the E. side appeared the level plain,
through which Folle Avoine river ran, until the wood grew
blue and was lost to sight, while its many sudden bends
added to the beauty of the prospect.

About a mile below, on the E., I observed the small
Riviere aux Marais^" [Marsh river], which retained its wood
only four or five miles out in the plain, and was then seen
no more. I also had a glimpse of the woods on the Schian
river, to the S. W. In every direction animals were seen —

^0 This is the third tributary of Red r. of such name. But this Marsh r. is
not an independent river — merely one of the two channels into which Wild
Rice r. divides in the vicinity of Ada, Norman Co., Minn.

RETURN TO CAMP AT GRAND FORKS. 15I

buffalo feeding on the plain, and red deer in the edge of
the wood or passing through the open spaces.

My guide was anxious to depart. At eight o'clock we
set out, and, without making halt to rest our horses, we.
reached our camp at Grandes Fourches at sunset. Here I
was obliged to treat my guide with high wine ; he was soon
intoxicated, and brave as a lion, saying he was sorry we had
seen no Sioux, as he would have taken some scalps, and
even offering to go to Otter Tail lake. After much of his
boasting, I asked him once more to go with my man up
Riviere du Lac Rouge [Red Lake river] to-morrow in search
of the Indians. He offered to start instantly if I would
give him the keg to take, in case he should find them ; but
this would not do. I gave him an extra dose of undiluted
high wine, and, after some trouble to keep him from cross-
ing the river, which he attempted to do several times,
in intervals of running toward the plain and calling the
Sioux " old women," he fell asleep exhausted.

Nov, I2th. At sunrise the Indian and my man crossed
the river on the raft, whilst I remained to take care of our
horses. The poor beasts required rest. I gave the men
proper directions, should they fall in with the Indians, to
bring them here. I slept most of the day. At sunset my
people returned, having been up as far as Deux Rivieres aux
Marais,^' two small parallel rivers on the S. side of Red
Lake river. At the entrance of one of them they found
the sign of some persons who had worked the beaver lately,
and whom the Indian believed to have been those we
sought; he said that, judging by the marks he saw, they
had returned to their families.

Nov. Jjth. At daybreak we were on horseback. We had
some trouble to cross Turtle river. The mud was frozen
on each side, but the crust was not strong enough to bear
our horses ; their legs went through, and they were in danger
of being hurt. However, we got over, and proceeded to

'' No doubt the pair of small streams which fall into Red Lake r, from the
S. in the vicinity of Fisher, Polk Co., Minn.

152 RETURN TO PARK RIVER POST.

Salt river, where we had another fine piece of business,
worse than at Turtle river. Charlo, willing to show his
horsemanship, attempted to drive through on his mare at a
round pace ; but, before she got halfway over, she plunged
her nose into the mud and fell on her side. Charlo came
souse into the water at full length. We had some trouble
to get her out ; but he stood ferryman and helped us over,
when we mounted and went on at a gallop to warm our
horses. Late in the evening we arrived safe at the fort,
heartily glad to find ourselves at home.

But my joy was of a short duration. Two of Langlois'
men were waiting for me, with word that a number of Crees
and Assiniboines were daily assembling near our establish-
ment at Panbian mountain. They had some furs, and
were preparing for war. Langlois feared they might do
some mischief to our people, as some of the young Crees
had already insulted Hamel. He therefore wished me
to go and see how matters stood. I found another
cause of vexation. My hunter's father-in-law arrived here
yesterday from Red lake, without a skin of any kind ; his
errand was for his gendre [son-in-law] to return with him,
and he would accept of no excuse. This will be some loss
to me. The young man says he will not return till he has
skins enough to pay for goods I have advanced him, but
I do not believe him. Nau-bun-ai-jam ^"^ tells me that when
he left the lake, some time ago, Mr. Jean Baptiste Cadotte
was making the Red Lake portage, about lo miles long,
and had informed the Indians he would winter on the lake ;
but that many of them had left on their way to this place,
having heard of my being here.

Nov. i^t/i. My two men came in, having made two kegs
of salt. They complain of the bad quality of the water.

I had my three canoes put in safety for the winter, be-
tween my house and the stockades, bottom upward, on thre^
cross poles, and well covered with about a foot thick of straw,
having loosened the ribs. Old Taon and family arrived from
^' No. 23 of the list on p. 54, there spelled Naubeenvishcung.

TRIP TO LANGLOIS' POST AT REED RIVER. 1 53

the Bois Perce on his way to Salt river. As I was certain
my hunter would leave me, I arranged with Taon to hunt,
paying him three skins per animal and furnishing ammuni-
tion. I desired him to camp near Salt river and hunt red
deer, there being no animals near the fort excepting bulls;
which are lean and indifferent at this season.

Nov. i^th. My little hunter and his father-in-law set off
for Riviere aux Vautours [Vulture, i. e., Turkey-buzzard,
river], and old Taon decamped for Salt river to hunt. At
nine o'clock I mounted and set off for Langlois', leaving
Charlo preparing to depart for his tent at the foot of the
Hair hills. At the Bois Perce I remained about an hour
Avith the worthless vagabonds, who do nothing but play at
the game of platter. Nothing is heard but the noise of
the dish, and children bawling from hunger ; their scoun-
drelly fathers are deaf to their cries, until necessity obliges
them to kill a bull for their sustenance. I overtook the
two men I sent off on foot this morning before daylight.
We came on slowly to Panbian river and encamped.

Sunday, Nov. i6th. A very cold morning, the ice drift-
ing in large bodies in Red river. On arriving opposite
Reed river, we had some difficulty to cross among the drift-
ing ice, and found most of the people sick. Langlois had a
cold and cough, his wife a sore hand, and their daughter
was in convulsions. She lies senseless for half an hour or
more, and the fit occurs twice or thrice a day. When it
takes her she lies like a person in a trance, without any
struggle or contortions, and recovers as from a dream. She
is about 10 years of age, and appears otherwise in good
health. A child about four years of age had his left but-
tock mostly torn off by an accidental shot in an Indian's
cabin a few days ago during a drinking match. He is now
in a fair way of recovery, though the gun was loaded with
large beaver shot. It is surprising he was not killed, but it
seems the shot passed obliquely, and he will escape with
the loss of a few pounds of flesh.

Nov. ijth. This morning the ice was suflficiently strong

154 THENCE TO PEMBINA MOUNTAINS.

to cross on. I passed a tedious day amongst the sick and
lame. In the afternoon I made shift to crawl over the
river with my man, in search of my horse, and brought him
down to drink. He was troubled with lampers, which pre-
vented him from drinking freely. My man sharpened a
piece of hard dry oak, and, putting a gag in the mouth,
pierced the part affected in several places; it bled copi-
ously. On letting him loose he began to eat with a good
appetite. Capot Rouge and White Partridge arrived from
the upper part of Red river, with 30 skins each.

Nov. i8th. At daybreak Langlois and myself crossed on
the ice, and having found our horses, set off for Panbian
mountain. Great numbers of swans were passing S. — almost
one continuous flock the whole day ; I was astonished to
see so many. At sunset we arrived at the house, and found
our people well. The Crees had brought a good trade.
This evening two of them arrived on horseback. They
brought three black bear skins and a few foxes. They
informed me the war party had failed, and been put off till
spring. There are now about 50 Crees and Snakes at
Pinancewaywining river, to remain till February, when they
will return to the Assiniboine. I gave out some tobacco
for the principal men.

Nov. igth. Early we set off, and were obliged to ride
hard, as the wind was very cold. We arrived early at
Red river. 20th. Very cold, and about six inches of snow.
I sent off my men on foot before day ; at nine o'clock I fol-
lowed and overtook them. The cold was so severe that I
could not keep on my horse, but was obliged to run and
walk. Shot two bulls, and camped opposite Two Rivers.
Nov. 2ist. This morning early we were on our way in
cruel weather. The storm had increased to a gale from the
N. W. We were often obliged to keep in the woods, and
under the lee of the banks, for shelter from the piercing
wind. Riding was out of the question, as none of us were
provided for such cold weather. The drifts prevented us
from seeing more than 15 yards ahead. I was determined

AND BACK TO PARK RIVER POST. 155

not to stop at the Bois Perc6, so I made a short turn to avoid
the Indian camp there, and at four o'clock reached the fort,
to the great surprise of my people, who had supposed it
impossible to march in such weather. Nothing had hap-
pened since my departure. There was a cow herd at hand,
but our hunters were killing plenty of red deer. They take
no more raccoons with traps. Those animals are lodged
in hollow trees, where they will remain, like bears, until
spring, without any subsistence. The men take plenty of
foxes and wolves, a few fishers, and a chance marten ; the
latter are very scarce.

Nov. 22d. My chimney smoked intolerably ; therefore,
the weather being moderate, I had it torn down and built
anew. My men came in with a load of meat from the
hunter's tent. Bulls are numerous.' Ten Red Lake In-
dians arrived from Riviere aux Voleurs ; amongst them
were those I had been in search of above. They brought a
tolerably good trade. I treated them well, and they made
great promises — probably more than they will perform.

Sunday, Nov. 23d. The Indians set off early on their
return, well pleased with their reception. The mice destroy
everything ; they eat my skins and peltries— indeed, any-
thing that is not iron or steel goes down with them.

Nov. 2^th. My men making dog sleighs to haul meat
home. They have excellent oak for that purpose. Des-
marais making snowshoes. Bois inconnu is the best wood
we have, preferable to birch, or any other I know of. It is
light, and bends remarkably well. We find none of it N. of
this place, but the further S. we go the more plentiful it is.

Nov. 2StJL. I sent two men early, with letters to Portage
la Prairie, to inform our gentlemen to the N. of my transac-
tions in this quarter. They take one sleigh and two dogs,
to draw their provisions and blankets. I directed them to
proceed to Langlois, and thence to Hamel, at the Hair
hills, where I hoped they would get a guide to conduct
them to Portage la Prairie. Sent my people off for meat.
The weather having been mild for a few days, the snow is

156 YOUNG MRS. CROOKED LEGS AGAIN.

entirely melted away. Crooked Legs and his family arrived
from below. His young wife is now perfectly recovered,
and enjoys a glass. All who had any skins to trade held a
drinking match, during which the lady gave her old hus-
band a cruel beating with a stick, and then, throwing him
on his back, applied a fire brand to his privates, and rubbed
it in, until somebody interfered and took her away. She
left him in a shocking condition, with the parts nearly
roasted. I believe she would have killed him, had she not
been prevented ; if he recovers, it will be extraordinary.
This was done in revenge for his having stabbed her some
time ago.

Nov. 26th. Indians sober. Crooked Legs too ill to stir;
his old wife waits on him, and the young one makes fun
of him. 2'/th. A young man arrived from the hills, to
inform us that Charlo's wife died suddenly last night. He
brought a few skins to buy rum for the funeral, to drown
their sorrows, and lament the deceased with a better grace.
He returned immediately with a small keg.

Nov. 28th. Two men from Portage la Prairie arrived
with the two I had sent from here on the 25th, They
met at Reed river, where both parties arrived the same day.
They bring me letters from all my friends on the Assini-
boine, and dispatches from Grand Portage of Aug. 9th.

I find myself obliged to send Desmarais to join Mr.
[Charles Jean Baptiste] Chaboillez at Portage la Prairie.
Larocque, senior, came in from his traps, with a skunk, a
badger, and a large white wolf, all three caught in the same
trap at once, as he said. This we thought extraordinary —
indeed, a falsehood — until he explained the affair. His
trap was made in a hollow stump, in the center of which
there was a deep hole in the ground. He found the wolf just
caught, and still alive ; he dispatched him, and on taking
him out, noticed something stirring and making a noise in
the hole in the ground. Upon looking in he perceived the
badger, which he killed with a stick, and on pulling him out,
smelled the horrid stench of the skunk, which was in one

WOLVES — SKUNKS — RACCOONS — BEARS. 1 57

corner of the hole ; he soon dispatched him also. From
this the Indians all predicted some great misfortune, either
to the person to whom the traps belonged, or to our fort.
Some supposed the Sioux would destroy us all. «

Nov. 2gth. Desmarais prepared for his departure with a
heavy heart, as he is fond of this place.

Sunday, Nov. joth. Men and Desmarais preparing
themselves. I intend to send two men with them. Some
went raccoon hunting, the weather being warm. They
returned in the evening with seven, which they had found
in one hollow tree. The size of this tree was enormous,
having a hollow six feet in diameter, the rim or shell being
two feet thick, including the bark. Raccoon hunting is
common here in the winter season. The hunter examines
every hollow tree met with, and when he sees the fresh
marks of the claws, he makes a hole with an ax, and thus
opens the hollow space, in which he lights a fire to find out
if there be any raccoons within, as they often climb
trees in the autumn, and, not finding them proper for
the purpose, leave them and seek others. But if they be
within, the smoke obliges them to ascend and put their
heads out of the hole they entered. On observing this, the
ax is applied to the tree ; with the assistance of the fire, it
is soon down, and the hunter stands ready to dispatch the
animals whilst they are stunned by the fall. But some-
times they are so obstinate as to remain at the bottom of
the hole, until they are suffocated or roasted to death.
The bears, both grizzly and common black, which reside
on Red river, take to the hollow trees also, and are hunted
by the Indians in the same manner as raccoons. But the
the bears in the Hair hills, and other elevated places, never
take to the trees for their winter quarters. They reside in
holes in the ground, in the most intricate thicket they can
find, generally under the roots of trees that have been torn
up by the wind, or have otherwise fallen. These are more
difficult to find, requiring good dogs that are naturally
given to hunt bears. The reason why the bears differ so

158 EXPRESS SENT — THE PLAINS ON FIRE.

widely in the choice of their winter habitations is obvaous.
The low points along the river, where the woods principally
grow, are every spring subject to overflow when the ice
breaks up. The mud carried down with the current, and
left on the banks, makes their dens uncomfortable. On
the Hair hills and other high lands, where the ground is
free from inundation, the soft and sandy soil is not so cold
as the stiff, black mud on the banks of the river, which
appears to be made ground. Frequently, on digging holes
in winter, we found the frost had penetrated the ground
nearly four feet, like one solid body of ice, while in a high,
dry, sandy soil, it seldom exceeds one foot in depth.

Monday, Dec. ist. Having finished my dispatches, Des-
marais took his leave, with tears in his eyes — poor old man,
I felt for him. I sent with him my own two men, besides
the two from Portage la Prairie; wrote 12 letters — one of
20 pages to Charles Clark. This afternoon I saw an
extraordinary race — a badger in pursuit of a skunk. I
wished to see what would be the consequences, but one of
my men killed both with a club before I thought of pre-
venting him. This chase convinced me of the possibility
of my man having taken the three animals in the same trap.
At sunset I saw a thick smoke rising at the foot of the moun-
tain toward the Indians' camp, and soon after perceived the
plains on fire. The weather was cloudy at dusk, and the
wind blew strong from the N., causing the flame to make
rapid progress ; at ten o'clock it had extended as far as
Salt river, presenting a dismal and lurid appearance. We
could plainly distinguish the flames, which at intervals rose
to an extraordinary height, as they passed through low
spots of long grass or reeds. They then would cease their
ravages for a few moments, soon afterward rise again with
redoubled fury, and then die away to their usual height.
The sight was awful, indeed, but as the wind was from us,
and the fire was on the S. side of Park river, we had noth-
ing to dread. If this fire spreads all over the country, we
shall be hard up for provisions, as there will be no buffalo ;

ALBINO BUFFALO — CROOKED LEGS' PLIGHT, I 59

nothing can stop its fury but snow or rain. This morning
we had a light fall of snow, but it had no effect on the fire.
Indians came in from the camp below, and even from the
upper part of Two Rivers, to inquire into the cause of the
conflagration. They supposed that the Sioux had de-
stroyed this fort, and set fire to the grass, as is their custom
when they return from war. I was uneasy for some time,
fearing the Indians' camp at the hills was destroyed. But
the Crees came in with a few skins, and informed us the fire
had been lighted at their tents by accident.

Charlo has lost his eldest daughter, who died a few days
ago. He wants me to send him a small keg of rum, to
drown his sorrows, which are very great. The Crees in-
form me they have seen a calf as white as snow in a herd
of buffalo. White buffalo are very scarce. They are of
inestimable value among the nations of the Missouri, but
of none to the Crees and Assiniboines, except to trade with
other nations. There are also some of a dirty gray, but
these are very rare.

I have frequent visits from the Red Lake Indians, who
bring a few skins. On the 5th the fire was extinguished.
On the 8th I prevailed upon the old woman and Crooked
Legs to decamp with others — some for the salt lake, some
for the Bois Perc^, and others again for the E. side of
Riviere aux Marais, where a number of Red Lake Indians
are camped. The old gent with the roasted cods was in
a sad condition, and appeared to be failing fast. I had
him dragged away on a travaille with my horse, and now
the ground is clear of needy pensioners and lazy jades.

On the loth no bulls were to be seen, the fire having
driven them away. On the nth a fall of snow, with excess-
ively cold weather. The Saulteurs are everywhere pre-
paring for war, and assure me the Crees will join them
soon. I am much plagued with a smoky chimney, which
on the 14th fell on the floor while I was in bed. This was
an ugly affair ; however, I got it raised again. Bulls began
to appear from the N. W. On the 15th I sent all hands for

l6o NEEDLESS ALARM — NOSELESS FAT EARTH.

meat, and my negro went to his traps, so that I was alone.
I cHmbed my oak as usual for a view of the plains ; bulls
and red deer were passing. Suddenly I saw to the S. W.
a person coming on horseback. I supposed it to be some-
body on Crow's mare who had made an unusual turn south-
ward on a hunting excursion. But soon after I perceived
a second person on horseback, and then a third, coming
full speed, raising a cloud of snow. I was perplexed to
know what this could mean, being fully persuaded there
were no horses in that quarter but Crow's mare. When
they came within about a mile of me, I thought it was
high time to prepare for battle. Accordingly I made the
best of my way into the fort, shut the door and barred
the gates, ran into the house for my gun, and repaired to
the S. W. bastion, where I took my stand, reflecting that
this certainly was my last day. However, I was determined
to defend myself as long as I could. As I peered through
the loop-holes, I saw them enter the little wood, and on a
nearer approach recognized their faces. I jumped down,
leaving the gun in the bastion, and opened the gates before
they reached the stockade, as I did not wish them to know
of my alarm. They had been to all the Indian camps to
carry tobacco concerning the war," and were on their
way to their tents from Salt river ; they had chased a herd
of buffalo, which had taken them out of their road.
They had purchased their horses from the Crees at the
Hair hills. On the 19th some of the Red Lake Indians,
having traded here for liquor which they took to their
camp, quarreled among themselves. Cautoquoince ^*
jumped on Terre Grasse, and bit his nose off. It was some
time before the piece could be found ; but at last, by
tumbling and tossing the straw about, it was recovered,

32 That is, these Indian runners had been canvassing the subject of going to
war, and had as usual taken tobacco to smoke in council with those whom they
wished to draw into that enterprise.

^ Name not found before, but probably same as Quiniss, No. 35 of the list
on p. 54. For a similar nose-biting story, see Tanner, p. 164.

CHARLO DYING — CHILD TORN ASUNDER. l6l

stuck on, and bandaged, as best the drunken people could,
in hopes it would grow again. The quarrel proceeded from
jealousy.

Sunday, Dec. 21st. Sent two men with an Indian guide
to take a stallion and a mare to Red lake, whence Michel
Cadotte will forward them to Mr. Grant at Rainy lake.
They both are in high order, without sore backs. On the
22d the plains were covered with buffalo in every direction.
I went hunting on foot with one of my men ; we killed
three cows. My people killed three bulls within 100
yards of the stockades, which served for our dogs. Next
day all hands went for meat with sleighs. On the 24th
my two men returned from Portage la Prairie with letters
of the 15th inst. The people are starving in that quarter,

Thursday, Dec. 25th — Christmas. Treated my people
with high wine, flour, and sugar. 26th. Crow came in with
his brother Charlo on a travaille, at the point of death.
28th. Sent two men to make salt, near the entrance of the
little river. I was informed of a cruel affair which hap-
pened two years ago at Red lake. The woman is here to
whom the affair happened. It seems her husband was a
young Indian by whom she had one child, but who thought
proper to have two wives. Not liking this, she joined
another camp, where she took a new husband. Soon after
this second marriage, the two camps met and had a drink-
ing match. The first husband went to his rival, and insisted
upon taking the child, telling him he might keep the
woman, as he did not want her. They were both
scoundrels ; the child was not many months old. The
father caught hold of one leg of the child, saying he would
have him ; the husband caught hold of the other leg,
saying the father should not take him away. They began
to pull and haul ; on a sudden the father gave a jerk; and
the other resisting, the child was torn asunder. Charlo
lies here very sick ; he is troubled with an ugly cough,
and can scarcely move. His brothers have only been once
to see him ; they have no more feeling than brutes, and have

l62 REAL INDIAN GRIEF — NEW YEAR FESTIVITIES.

left him to care for his two young children, one five and
the otlier seven years of age. In a drinking match a few
days ago one of the women bit an Indian's finger off.
She came to me for salve to cure it as best I could. On
the 31st an Indian woman arrived, who is a near relation
of Charlo's deceased wife. She sat down by him, scream-
ing and howling in a terrible manner, calling on the
deceased by name, and frequently sobbing, " Oh, my rela-
tion ! my relation ! " I began to feel for the poor woman,
but she soon after dried her tears, and was the merriest
one we had in the house. This is real Indian grief, but
does not affect the heart. This evening I was offered a
bed-fellow, but refused. The Indians are very officious
in wishing to provide me with a wife, but my inclination
does not agree with theirs in the least.

Sunday, Jan. ist, 1801. The new year was ushered in by
several volleys, which alarmed a camp of Indians near by.
The men came running in armed, having ordered the
women to hide themselves. But they were agreeably de-
ceived, and got a share of what was going — some sherub '°
and cakes. Every woman and child was soon at the fort ;
all was bustle and confusion. I gave my men some high
wine, flour, and sugar ; the Indians purchased liquor, and by
sunrise every soul of them was raving drunk — even the chil-
dren. Buffalo in great abundance ; some within gunshot of
the fort. The plains were entirely covered ; all were mov-
ing in a body from N. to S.

An Indian who pretended to be a medicine man was em-
ployed by Maymiutch to cure his sick brother. The fellow
came accordingly with his drum and medicine bag, half
drunk, and began to make a terrible noise, beating the

''' An unusual spelling of our word shrab or shrub, a beverage, but one ety-
mologically preferable, as being nearer the Arabic and Hindu sharab, whence
are also derived sherbet and syrup. But, no doubt, the drink by any other name
would have made them just as drunk as they were, when they celebrated the
new year with such orgiastic and ithyphallic rites as Henry refrains from fully
describing. (For the medicine story, compare Tanner, p. 90.)

MEDICINE MAN — LIARD'S DAUGHTER. 163

drum, singing and dancing, tumbling and tossing, and
blowing upon the sick man, until he worked himself into a
foam ; when, redoubling his exertions, with one heavy stroke
he burst his drum, trampled it to pieces, and went away
quite exhausted, leaving his patient almost worried to death.
However, this affair got him two blankets, a large kettle,
and Charlo's gun. I saw a curious farce during the night
between my men and some old women about 70 years of
age [details omitted]. Liard's daughter took possession of
my room, and the devil could not have got her out.

Jan. 2d. At daybreak I heard a crash in my kitchen, and
found the chimney had fallen from top to bottom ; it was
lying on the floor, and the fire was blazing on. The cold
was severe ; weather cloudy and calm. The oaks made a
continual cracking noise as they split with the frost, some-
times like the report of a gun. Buffaloes came within gun-
shot of the stockades, but the dogs drove them away. I
was tempted to go hunting for two reasons. One was, to
give the men time to repair the chimney, and the other, to
get rid of the encumbrance who occupied my room. I soon
came near the buffaloes, and found an Indian who had
killed a cow, and was cutting her up. But the cold was so
intense that it obliged him to give it up and return to his
tent. I fired many shots, but killed only three ; it was im-
possible to cut them up. I contented myself with raising
the fat and tongues, and returned at dusk with a heavy load
on my back. I was vexed to find my room still occupied,
and no sign of her budging.

Berdash, a son of Sucrie [Sucre, Sweet, or Wiscoup],
arrived from the Assiniboine, where he had been with a
young man to carry tobacco concerning the war. This per-
son is a curious compound between a man and a woman.
He is a man both as to members and courage, but pretends
to be womanish, and dresses as such. His walk and mode
of sitting, his manners, occupations, and language are those
of a woman. His father, who is a great chief amongst the
Saulteurs, cannot persuade him to act like a man. About

164 SWIFTNESS OF THE ONE-EYED SODOMIST.

a month ago, in a drinking match, he got into a quarrel and
had one of his eyes knocked out with a club. He is very
troublesome when drunk. He is very fleet, and a few years
ago was reckoned the best runner among the Saulteurs.
Both his speed and his courage were tested some years ago
on the Schian river, when Monsieur Reaume ^' attempted to
make peace between the two nations, and Berdash accom-
panied a party of Saulteurs to the Sioux camp. They at
first appeared reconciled to each other through the interces-
sion of the whites, but on the return of the Saulteurs, the
Sioux pursued them. Both parties were on foot, and the
Sioux have the name of being extraordinarily swift. The
Saulteurs imprudently dispersed in the plains, and several
were killed ; but the party with Berdash escaped without
any accident, in the following manner : One of them had
got from the Sioux a bow, but only a few arrows. On
starting and finding themselves pursued, they ran a consid-
erable distance, until they perceived the Sioux were gaining
fast upon them, when Berdash took the bow and arrows
from his comrades, and told them to run as fast as possible,
without minding him, as he feared no danger. He then

^* There were several persons of this name in the fur-trade, identification of
whom is not easy, as the Christian name is generally omitted; the surname
varies to Reaume, Rheaume, and sometimes Raymond. — " Mons." Reaume is
often mentioned in Thompson's MS.; e. g., en route from Grand Portage, Aug.
I2th, 1797, and in Sept., 1797, fitted out by Cuthbert Grant for a. post near
" Falle a la Perdrix " (Partridge falls, somewhere about Dauphin r. and Lake
Winnipegoosis). — Simon Raume or Raymond is mentioned by Thompson as
being at Red Deer Lake house Oct. 31st, 1798. — Simon Reaume appears in a
N. W. Co. list as at Fort des Prairies and Fort Lac Orignal, winter of 1789-90,
and on Upper English r., 1799. — One Reaume was at Portage la Prairie,
1794-95, in opposition to Wm. Mackay of the N. W. Co. — One Reaume is men-
tioned in Wm. Morrison's letter of 1856 as coming into the trade prior to 1803.
— J. Reaume was a trader on Red 1., winter of 1784-85. — Joseph Reaume of the
N. W, Co. was in the Fond du Lac Dept. in 1799; wages 1,000 livres. — Joseph
Reaume of the N. W. Co. wintered at FoUe Avoine lake or river, 1801-02 :
see the abstract at the end of Chap. iv. — Joseph Rheaume appears as a voyageur
of the N. W. Co. in the Athabasca Dept., 1804.— For Charles Reaume, b. near
Montreal, 1752, married Mdlle. Sanguinet, d. Bale Verte in 1821, see the biogr.
in Tasse, L pp. 123-136, and work there cited, p. 351.

BERDASH APPEARS TO ADVANTAGE. 165

faced the enemy, and began to let fly his arrows. This
checked their course, and they returned the compliment
with interest, but it was so far off that only a chance arrow
could have hurt him, as they had nearly spent their strength
when they fell near him. His own arrows were soon ex-
pended, but he lost no time in gathering up those that fell
near him, and thus he had a continual supply. Seeing his
friends some distance ahead, and the Sioux moving to sur-
round him, he turned and ran full speed to join his com-
rades, the Sioux after him. When the latter approached
too near, Berdash again stopped and faced them with his
bow and arrows, and kept them at bay. Thus did he con-
tinue to manoeuvre until they reached a spot of strong wood
which the Sioux dared not enter. Some of the Saulteurs
who were present have often recounted the affair to me.
It seems the Sioux from the first were inclined to treachery,
being very numerous, and the others but few. The Saulteurs
were well provided with guns and ammunition, but on their
first meeting were surrounded and the guns taken from
them, in return for which the Sioux gave them bows and
arrows; but in a manner to be of little use, giving one a
bow and no arrows, another a quiver of arrows, but no bow.
The white men had some difficulty to keep their arms, by
which means they escaped.

Jan. 6th. Langlois arrived. He informed me that a
party of Crees and Sonnants had left their camp to go to
war, but on reaching our house at the Hair hills, and hear-
ing the Saulteurs were ready for them, they gave it up for
the present and wished to plunder the house. Fortunately
there were two or three old men among them, who pre-
vented the pillage and remained several days after the party
had gone off, fearing lest they might come back and ac-
complish their design. This would have been easy, as
there were but two whites at the house.

To-day was a holiday [Epiphanie, Epiphany, Twelfth
Day or Little Christmas] for my people. Gave them a treat
of high wine, sugar, flour, etc.

l66 IN COITU — EN DEROUINE.

We had a bitch in heat ; she was very troublesome, and
the dogs made a terrible noise on her account day and
night. I drove them all to the plains ; a band of wolves
got scent of the bitch, and a furious battle ensued, in which
one of our dogs was torn to pieces. This often happens at
this season, when the wolves are copulating and our dogs
get among them. The female wolves prefer our dogs to
their own species, and daily come near the fort to entice the
dogs. They often succeed, and if the dogs ever return,
they are in a miserable condition, lean and covered with
sores. Some of my men have amused themselves by
watching their motions in the act of copulating ; rushing
upon them with an ax or club, when the dog, apprehend-
ing no danger, would remain quiet, and the wolf, unable to
run off, could be dispatched.

My two men returned from Red lake, having got there in
eight days, with the horses, which were to be forwarded
immediately to Rainy lake, where Mr. Cadotte is starving.

Jan. 8th. Langlois started with two of my men for Reed
river. On the 9th we had a terrible snowstorm. The buf-
falo now keep at a distance. We are collecting our winter
stock very slowly, having no good bufTalo hunter. On the
13th my men returned from below ; they informed me that
Hamel had been en derotivie^' to the Cree camp at Prairie
de la Tete de Boeuf, when the Sonnants and Crees had
pillaged him of all the property he had with him, among

" The phrase means that he had gone as a " commercial traveler " to the
Cree camp to drum up trade. En derouine was a technical term in the fur-
trade : thus we read in Masson, I. p. 306, "No </if>-(7«m^ to take place," etc.
The traders as a rule established themselves in certain places to which the In-
dians were obliged to repair to dispose of their skins in exchange for goods, and
take their debts for the next hunt. But sometimes a trader would go about
among them to secure skins, with a few goods to exchange, or none ; and if he
procured skins for which the Indians were not paid, he gave them orders upon
the nearest establishment for the amount due. This was/i?« aller en derouine^ or
(ourir la derouine — go drumming ; and the whole transaction was une derouine,
which rival traders sometimes agreed not to allow. Coureur de derouine was a
drummer. The forms d/rouine and drouine also occur.

PLAINS BLACK WITH BUFFALO — CHARLO DEAD. 167

which was a large keg of sugar and liquor ; he had a narrow
escape for his life.

Jan. ipk. At daybreak I was awakened by the bellow-
ing of buffaloes. I got up, and was astonished when I
climbed into the S. W. bastion. On my right the plains
were black, and appeared as if in motion, S. to N. Oppo-
site the fort the ice was covered ; and on my left, to the
utmost extent of the reach below us, the river was covered
with buffalo moving northward. Our dogs were confined
within the fort, which allowed the buffalo to pass within
a few paces. I dressed and climbed my oak for a better
view, I had seen almost incredible numbers of buffalo in
the fall, but nothing in comparison to what I now beheld.
The ground was covered at every point of the com-
pass, as far as the eye could reach, and every animal
was in motion. All hands soon attacked them with a tre-
mendous running fire, which put them to a quicker pace, but
had no effect in altering their course. The first roads
beaten in the snow were followed by those in the rear.
They passed at full speed until about nine o'clock, when
their numbers decreased and they kept further off in the
plain. There was about 15 inches of snow on a level, in
some places drifted in great banks. Notwithstanding the
buffalo were so numerous, and 12 guns were employed, we
killed only three cows and one old bull, but must have
wounded a great number.

Jan. i^tk. The plains were still covered with buffalo
moving slowly northward. Charlo died early this morning.
Since last August his two eldest daughters, two sons, their
mother, and now their father, have died. There are still
living a boy and a girl. Their complaint was a cough,
which soon killed them. They were all in good health when
I arrived at the Forks last summer. Maymiutch asked me
for liquor to lament the death of his brother. He tells me
he knows why all his brother's family died so suddenly : It
was because Charlo went to Riviere la Souris [Mouse river],
and stole three horses from the H. B. Co. there, and Mr.

i68 maymiutch's lament— waquetoe's revenge.

Goodwin, who is a doctor, threw bad medicine on him and
his family. He says further that the Indians at Bois Perce
advised him to be revenged on us for the death of his
brother ; but that he had rejected their proposal, telling
them it was not we who had occasioned Charlo's death, and
that he always knew his brother was a bad Indian, who
lived in all kinds of wickedness, stealing horses, cheating the
traders, and never paying his debts ; so that, even had we
caused his brother's death, he never would harbor any
thoughts of revenge ; his heart was too weak to permit him
to injure people who had always been charitable to him,
and provided him with necessaries to bring up his children
and supply their daily wants. The end of this was, I must
give him some liquor to wash the grief from his heart, as it
was very much oppressed.

Jan. igth. Most of the Indians camped at the fort, hav-
ing left off hunting. A bull followed the plains road within
about 40 yards of the fort, when he was perceived by the
Indians and fired at. The ball went into one eye and came
out of the other. The poor blinded animal ran at random
against the trees and stumps, and was dispatched with an
ax. This was excellent sport for the Indians. Shortly
after another came by the same route, and was shot dead
within 50 paces of the stockades. This evening, in a drink-
ing match, Wayquetoe shot an arrow at his wife, which
entered her right side below the ribs, and was pulled out
on the left ; at the same time he fired another at her sup-
posed beloved, and shot him through the arm. The woman
lies dangerously ill.

My winter stock of provision is complete — all good, fat
buffalo meat, and my men have little to do. They, there-
fore, amuse themselves by sliding down the bank on sleighs
from the S. gate. Their descent is so great as to cause
their trains to run across Red river. The Indian women
join them, and they have excellent sport. They have given
over trapping since Christmas, as they took nothing worth
their while. Indians go hunting on the E. side of the river,

MRS. HENRY CHANGES HER MIND. 169

where the buffalo are as numerous as on the W., and much
easier to approach in the willows and long grass. My men
have finished hauling in fire-wood, with the assistance of
their dogs only, as we have no horses.

Jan. 24.th. This is delightful weather for the Indian
women to play their favorite game of coullion on the ice ;
they generally keep it up till dark, whilst the men are at
their game of platter, and others beat the drum to their
wabbano songs. Hunting is out of the question now.

Jan. 26th. The Indians threatened to destroy us — Taba-
shaw at the head, and Chamanau second in command.
But I soon convinced them that it would prove a tough
bone for them to gnaw. They then made a merit of neces-
sity, and the ringleaders informed against the others ; but I
knew them too well to allow them to impose on me.

Jan. joth. I got rid of my bed-fellow, who returned to
her father with a good grace. Fine weather. One of my
men had a narrow escape from being killed by a wounded
bull. The dogs have fine sport chasing the old scabby
bulls that take shelter in the woods, but they are very alert
and active for animals of their bulk, and the dogs cannot
hurt them. I saw one pass to-day with a crow {^Corvus
americanus] perched on his back, pecking his scabs, which
caused him to kick and twist his tail.

Sunday, Feb. ist. I sent two men to Portage la Prairie
with two trains and four dogs, loaded with goods ; sent also
a man to Reed river, with directions for Langlois. The
lady returned. A terrible snowstorm. Stormy weather
causes the buffalo to approach the woods for shelter, and it
no sooner abates than they return to the plain. On the
3d it was very cold ; I went hunting on the E. side. Saw
plenty of buffalo ; killed two cows and one calf. One of
them, a large fat cow, I shot at 125 paces, directly through
the head, with my double-barreled gun. I took only the
tongues and depouilles, and returned after dark. On the
17th we had a terrible snowstorm. I can count daily,
from the top of my oak, from 20 to 30 herds of buffalo

170 ACEGUEMANCHE S ART — ATTEMPTED THEFT.

feeding in the plains. It is surprising how the cows resist
the piercing N. wind, which at times blows with such vio-
lence over the bleak plains, and raises such drifts, that it
cannot be faced ; still, those animals graze in the open field.
Aceguemanche, who has the care of Wayquetoe's wounded
wife, came to say that, by means of his art in medicine, and
his superior knowledge of the wabbano, he had extracted a
bit of iron from his patient's back, which had given her
much relief ; but that, by conjuration, he found she had a
piece of some hard metal in her neck, which baffles his
powers. He has exhausted his skill in vain, has sung
songs, and beaten his drum, day and night, for some time
past ; still the metal does not appear. But he does not
despair of getting it out. This is a trick of the fellow to
get more property from the husband.

Feb. 20th. A party of Red Lake Indians and of my
Saulteurs are decamping for Red lake, to prepare for the
sugar season, which commences about the end of March.
They are very troublesome, begging liquor and ammuni-
tion. On the 24th I went hunting above, and killed
three buffalo ; they are getting very lean. Examined
my shop, and perceived a place where some person had
attempted to steal in at the back, opposite the silver-
works that were lying on a shelf. They had taken the
clay from between the logs, and with a knife had cut away
the wood, both above and below, so as to pass a stick
through with a gun-screw on the end. They did not suc-
ceed, as I found the worm fast to an arm-band, and some
other articles drawn from their places; but apparently the
worm had slipped off and could not be recovered. The
snow on the outside was so beaten by dogs I could not
identify the tracks.

F^b. 25th. A herd of cows were crossing the ice near the
fort; the dogs chased them, and prevented one from get-
ting on shore. Perceiving this the men took a codline,
which they doubled and then entangled her legs in such a
manner that she fell upon her side. She lay quiet while

cow ROPED— SOAP MADE— RACCOONS OUT. I/L

they fastened the line around her horns and dragged her to
the fort, as she was too obstinate to stand up. But here
she jumped up and made at the dogs, taking no notice of
us. Crow and Pierre both got on her back, but this did
not incommode her ; she was as nimble in jumping and
kicking at the dogs as before, although they are two
stout men — Crow weighing at least 190 pounds. She
was not full grown, and very lean. What must be the
strength of a full-grown bull, double the weight of a cow?
It is common to see a bull exceed 1,500 pounds, but a cow
is seldom over 700 or 800 pounds gross.

My men are making soap with tallow, to which a certain
kind of salt is added ; it seems an excellent article, hard
and dry, and some have the art of making it almost white.
When cut in cakes it looks good, and they say it washes
as well as English soap.

Sunday, Feb. 28th. Wolves and crows are very numer-
ous, feeding on the buffalo carcasses that lie in every
direction. I shot two cows, a calf, and two bulls, and got
home after dark. I was choking with thirst, having chased
the buffalo on snowshoes in the heat of the day, when
the snow so adheres that one is scarcely able to raise the
feet. A draught of water was the sweetest beverage I
ever tasted. An Indian brought in a calf of this year,
which he found dead. It was well grown, and must have
perished last night in the cold. This was thought extraor-
dinary; they say it denotes an early spring.

Mar. 5th. The snow being entirely melted, and the
ground thawing about noon, renders it very muddy, at
times over the shoes. This proceeds from the water over-
flowing the bank on the breaking up of the ice, and leaving
vast quantities of mud and slime, so glutinous that it
adheres to whatever it touches.

The buffalo have for some time been wandering in every
direction. My men have raised and put their traps in
order for the spring hunt, as the raccoons begin to come
out of their winter quarters in the daytime, though they

172 BIRDS— MAPLES— BOIS TORS— EXPRESS IN,

retire to the hollow trees at night. On the 8th it rained
for four hours ; fresh meat thawed. On the 9th we saw the
first spring bird. Bald eagles \Haliaetos leucocephalus] we
have seen the whole winter, but now they are numerous,
feeding on the buffalo carcasses. My men begin to take
raccoons, which are very lean.

Mar. nth. Clear, mild weather ; wind S. E.; snow melt-
ing fast. I sent four men, with two kegs of high wine
each, to Portage la Prairie. On the 12th we saw an outarde
[wild goose, Bernicla canadensis] on the ice ; and another
swimming, where the melting of the snow had caused the
ice to rise and leave an open space. I also saw a swan.
The small bastard maple [box-elder or ash-leafed maple,
Negundo aceroides] begins to run. The Canadians call this
tree erable a gigoire. The sap yields a fine white sugar,
but it is not so sweet as that of the real maple [Acer sac-
charinuni], and more is required to make the same quantity
of sugar. There is also an abundance of bois tors [twisted
wood, the so-called climbing bitter-sweet, Celastriis scan-
dens], a short shrub that winds up the stocks of larger
trees ; the wood is soft and spongy, with a thick bark, which
is often eaten by the natives in time of famine. There
are two species of this shrub ; one grows much thicker than
the other, and is very sweet, but too astringent. The
smaller kind is more insipid and less unwholesome. They
cut it into pieces and boil it a long time, when the bark is
peeled off and eaten without any further preparation. I
have subsisted upon this bark for days, but always found
my weakness increased upon me.

Mar. 14th. My two men that I sent to Portage la Prairie
Feb. 1st, arrived with Messrs. Chaboillez [senior or junior?]
and John Cameron. They bring the Northwest Company's
northern winter express, which will proceed with all dispatch
to Grand Portage ; there to be put on board the vessel and
conveyed to Sault Ste. Marie, where it arrives about June 1st,
and sometimes in May, according to the state of the ice in
Lake Superior. It generally starts from Athabasca Jan. ist.

EXPRESS OFF— SIGNS OF SPRING. 1 73

The ice is rising in a body, in consequence of the melting
snow. Being apprehensive the water would come into the
fort and overflow the property, I set all hands to erect a
large stage, on which we laid most of our property. On the
15th we saw six swans and several outardes going N., and
on the 17th had a terrible snowstorm ; buffaloes near the
fort. i8th. Had much trouble to cross the express ; there
being a broad space of open water on each ride of the river,
and the ice in the middle scarcely able to support the man's
weight. All got over by means of a small canoe. Mr. Cam-
eron goes to Grand Portage with four men for a land load
of goods, to come as soon as navigation opens. The
express will pass by Red lake and Lac la Pluie. I sent
Crow to guide them ; all go on foot, without dogs. igth.
Mr. Chaboillez and his men set off with two of mine, loaded
with goods. The river continues to rise, and is now only a
few feet from the gate. Got out my canoes, repaired and
gummed them, and placed them in the fort ready to load,
to save ourselves in the plain, in case the water rises sud-
denly. 20th. I saw a sturgeon jump. 21st. My anxiety
about the water increasing, I set the men at work, carried
our property to a rising ground about a quarter of a mile
from the fort, and covered it with oil cloths. It was tedious,
as our pemmican had not yet been made up." Wild fowl
now abound ; also buffalo. My faithful dog Castor died
with a swelling in the neck ; it was the tenth day he had
eaten nothing. I had pierced it several times and let out
much foul matter. This swelling in the neck and head is
common among our dogs, and many die of it. 22d. The ice
moved all in one body, but soon stopped. Indian women
are making sugar. Saw another sturgeon jump. 2^d. My
men returned from Reed river ; they had seen two calves of
this year. We now see many kinds of summer birds. 2'jth.

'* In taureaux, or the large skin sacks in which it was to be packed for trans-
portation, so that its removal in loose bulk was a tediofis process. For the
taureaux, see beyond, where Henry repeatedly uses the word; but it baffled his
copyist, as I find \Xfarireaux, ieauveaux, taveraiix, terraux, etc.

174 THOUSANDS OF BUFFALO DROWNED.

I killed two cows ; they have an ugly appearance, as their
long winter hair is falling in large patches. 28th. A snow-
storm caused the wild fowl to return southward. jotJi. Rain
broke up the ice ; it drifted in large masses, making a great
noise by crushing, tumbling, and tossing in every direction,
driven by a strong current. Many trunks of trees and much
mud are carried down on the ice. It continued to drift on
the 31st, bearing great numbers of dead buffalo from above,
which must have been drowned in attempting to cross while
the ice was weak. My four men returned from Portage la
Prairie. The water is falling fast, leaving us an ugly, dirty
bank, covered with nearly a foot of slime and mud ; had it
risen two feet more, we should have had it in our houses.
A heavy fall of snow.

Wednesday, Apr. ist. The river clear of ice, but drowned
buffalo continue to drift by entire herds. Several are
lodged on the banks near the fort. The women cut up
some of the fattest for their own use ; the flesh appeared to
be fresh and good. It is really astonishing what vast num-
bers have perished ; they formed one continuous line in the
current for two days and nights.^* One of my men found
a herd that had fallen through the ice in Park river and all
been drowned ; they were sticking in the ice, which had not
yet moved in that part. The Avomen had excellent sport in
raising the back fat and tongues. On the 5th, the plains
having been clear of snow and dry, we had two feet of snow,
and the river nearly froze over again. We brought our
baggage into the fort. jth. One of my men brought in

^'This account is not exaggerated. John McDonnell's Journal of May i8th,
1795, when he was descending Qu'Appelle r. , states: "Observing a good
many carcasses of buffaloes in the river and along its banks, I was taken up the
whole day with counting them, and, to my surprise, found I had numbered
when we put up at night, 7,360, drowned and mired along the river and in it.
It is true, in one or two places, I went on shore and walked from one carcass
to the other, where they lay from three to five files deep" (Masson, I. 1889, p.
294). It is probable that the total number of buffalo killed by man in those
days was insignificant in comparison with the destruction wrought by the war-
ring of nature's elements against the poor brutes.

ADVANCE OF THE SEASON — FORT DAUPHIN. . 1 75

three wolves of this year, which he had found in a hole in
the ground ; they sometimes have their young in a hollow
log or stump. The river almost every morning frozen over,
but drifting in the afternoon. I sent a man on the 9th to
Reed river with directions for Langlois concerning his
Indians. Another of my men brought in six young wolves
he had found in one hole ; they were very tame, and we
proposed to keep them for the trains, as they are of the
large species. The ground was clear of snow on the loth.

The Indians are in continual alarm on account of the
Sioux; they wish to persuade me they see them almost
every day, and have made a kind of fort or barrier with
trees and brushwood. I made up my pemmican into bags
of 90 pounds each — 50 pounds of beef and 40 pounds of
grease. The women continue to cut up drowned buffalo to
make tallow. Crow arrived from Red lake with letters from
there and Lac la Pluie. The horses got safe to their des-
tination last February. /////. Fine warm weather. Buf-
falo are now mostly with calves of this spring. 12th.
Frogs began to croak. I made up my packs, isth. May-
miutch came down Park river in a skin canoe, with 25
beaver skins, 12 of which were still in the meat ; he had only
been gone two days. i8tJi. Rain ; drowned buffalo still
drifting down the river, but not in such vast numbers as
before, many having lodged on the banks and along the
beach. Desmarais arrived from Fort Dauphin,^" via Portage

*° Fort Dauphin of Verendrye is given on a recent historical map (Devine's,
Ontario, 1878) as having been situated, "before 1749," on the W. side of pres-
ent Lake St. Martin, which discharges by present Dauphin r. into Sturgeon bay
of Lake Winnipeg — and not on present Lake Dauphin, which lies W. of Lake
Manitoba. The date appears to be 1741 ; for Verendrye, returning from a visit
to Canada he had made in 1740 (after his Mandan tour), reached Fort la Reine
at Portage la Prairie on the Assiniboine, Oct. 13th, 1741, and pushed on to
found Fort Dauphin on the lake which thereupon received its name. There is
no question in my mind that Verendrye located his Fort Dauphin at the N. W.
angle of Lake Manitoba, at or near the E. end of present Meadow portage
(which goes over to Lake Winnipegoosis). This position is clearly indicated on
Gallisoniere's Carte, " dressee sur les memoires de M"". de la Verandrie," etc.,
1750. The map in Ontario Sessional Papers for 1889, XXL pt. vi., marks the

176 FORT DAUPHIN.

la Prairie ; he complains of having passed a very disagreeable
winter. I sent two men in a small canoe for Portage la
Prairie, with two kegs of high wine and one bale of goods.
20th. Indians arrived in skin canoes from the Salt river ;
they are alarmed, having, as they said, seen the enemy ;
but this they say every day, being anxious to drift down
river. 22d. Pigeons flying N. in great numbers. Desma-
rais caught one sturgeon, three large catfish, and a number
of smaller fishes. 2Sth. Drowned buffalo drift down river
day and night. 26th. I sent Desmarais with a man in a skin
canoe to Langlois ; the latter is to proceed to Portage la
Prairie with dispatches for Mr. Chaboillez. Smoke is rising
in every direction ; this is caused by the Indians returning
from their beaver hunts. We shot three large bears swim-
ming down river opposite the fort. 2gth. Desmarais
having brought me a horse from Portage la Prairie I went
hunting and chased buffalo ; but the ground being slippery
my horse fell, and I cut my head on the cock of my gun.
I killed four calves, of which I took only the thighs, and
brought two calves home alive ; they no sooner lost sight

same position. A. Begg's Hist. N. W., I. p. 84, and D. Mills, Rep. Ont. Gov.,
are to the identical effect. Almost every indication points clearly to the N. W.
angle of Lake Manitoba, and I see no reason to bring either present Lake
Dauphin or present Lake St. Martin into the case. But settlement of Veren-
drye's original position does not dispose of the question, Where was the N. W.
Co. Fort Dauphin — the post operative in Henry's time ? Peter Pond's N. W.
Co. map, pub. in Canadian Arch. Rep., 1890, p. 53, marks "Fort Dauphin,
1775, P. P." on present Lake Dauphin. Again, Devine's Crown Lands map of
1857 letters " Dauphin L. and Ho." on the S. side of present Lake Dauphin, a
little S.E. from the position assigned to Fort Dauphin by Pond. .

One Fort Dauphin is on record as the scene of a smallpox epidemic in 1780.
In navigating Lake St. Martin, Sept., 1797, Thompson speaks of an "old
house of Cameron and Latour " there ; he goes on to say that Michel AUerie
was being fitted out by Cuthbert Grant for the N. W. Co.'s Fort Dauphin,
but does not specify its position. That is just the trouble— this Fort Dauphin,
of Thompson's and Henry's time — during the whole life of the N. W. Co., in fact
— was so well known that nobody I have read takes the pains to say where it
was. But Thompson's large unpub. map marks " N.W. Co." on the S. side of
present Lake Dauphin, on a river running N. into this lake ; and if this mark
means Fort Dauphin, it settles the case.

cows AND CALVES— CANOES SENT OFF. I//

of the herd than they followed my horse like dogs, directly
into the fort. On chasing a herd at this season, the calves
follow until they are fatigued, when they throw themselves
down in high grass and lie still, hiding their heads, if possi-
ble. On coming to them they start to run, but seeing only
the person and his horse, remain quiet and allow themselves
to be taken. Having been a little handled, they follow like
dogs. But if they are not discovered by the hunter they
keep still until their mothers return in search of them, as I
observed to-day — while cutting up a calf on a low piece of
ground. I heard something running toward me, and on
looking up saw a large cow coming over the little rising
ground directly at me. I had only time to catch up my
gun and fire, at which she turned about at full speed. My
consternation was so great I did not take proper aim, and
so only slightly wounded her ; she looked very fierce, and
I believe, had my gun been a few yards further off, she
would have attacked me. ^oth. Chased a herd and killed
two. They are now getting in very good flesh. Killed
also two calves, whose thighs make excellent steaks.
Drowned buffalo drift as usual. Indians making skin
canoes and preparing to embark.

May ist. The stench from the vast numbers of drowned
buffalo along the river was intolerable. Gummed my
canoes. 2d. Two hunters arrived in a skin canoe from
Grandes Fourches with 30 beaver and 7 bear skins. They
tell me the number of buffalo lying along the beach and
on the banks above passes all imagination ; they form one
continuous line, and emit a horrid stench. I am informed
that every spring it is about the same.

May ph. All hands up early, prepared for embarkation ;
Indians still drinking, and troublesome for liquor. At ten
o'clock I sent off the canoes with 45 pieces of 90 pounds
each per canoe, but only two men, there being no room for
more on board. Quantities of fresh meat remain in my
provision store, perfectly good to eat. The canoes were no
sooner off than the women and children began to rummage

178 PARK RIVER POST EVACUATED.

the buildings, even raising the floors, to search for any trifle
that might have been lost during the winter. I remained
till noon, wishing them to embark on board their skin
canoes, which they then did ; and, having seen them all off,
I bid adieu to Park river, and started on horseback. On
my way down I chased a herd, killed a tolerably fat
young bull, and got a tumble from my horse. Encamped
at the Bois Perce with my people, I was actually prevented
from taking supper by the stench of drowned buffalo that
lay on the banks in a state of putrefaction. Early on the
5th the canoes were off, and I soon followed on horseback.
I chased a herd, and killed a cow and a calf. I have an ex-
cellent horse for the chase — an old hunter, very swift and
well trained to the business ; he comes from the Mandanes.
We found it impossible to cross our horses over Panbian
river at the entrance ; the mud and mire were too deep.
This obliged us to go up to Tongue river, and even there
we were under the necessity of making a raft, and had a
deal of trouble. We camped at the Eagle's Nest. 6tJi. It
rained, with a cold N. W. wind. At nine o'clock I reached
Reed river, half frozen and wet to the skin. The canoes
arrived at three o'clock and unloaded. Several of Langlois'
Indians not yet arrived from their spring hunt ; no fresh
meat, although buffalo were at hand. yth. Some men hunt-
ing and others seining ; all were successful. The sturgeon
was excellent. The men brought in a parcel of ducks'
eggs which they found in the marais.

May 8th. The Indians arrived and commenced drinking.
Tabashaw was very troublesome. I had a long quarrel
with him ; he told me he was independent of everybody, as
he had a secret power of making rum, iron arrows, etc. It
was some time before I got rid of him. Soon afterward,
Chamanau's wife came to me ; she is a very decent, sober
woman, for a native ; she had overheard our dispute, and
asked me if I knew what Tabashaw meant by saying he was
independent, telling me she would explain it. Some time
ago Tabashaw did his juggling, fasting, and singing when

TABASHAW RECEIVES A REVELATION. 1 79

he was out alone, setting his beaver traps. He relates that
one night during the ceremonies, a person dressed in a white
linen shirt, rather dirty, a short black jacket and breeches,
stockings and shoes, appeared to him, called him comrade
in a formal manner, and asked him what he was doing.
Tabashaw told him he was hunting beaver. They then
seated themselves and had a long conversation, the whole of
which Tabashaw does not think proper to divulge, but says
that he was told, among many other things, that the In-
dians were wrong in addressing themselves to the sun for
favor or protection when they performed any ceremony,
made feasts or medicine affairs, or prepared for war ; that
the sun had no power over mankind ; that only he who now
spoke to Tabashaw had command of the world and all that
moved on the face of the earth — he who was the great
Shaymanitou [Kitchimanitou] or Father of Life, the good
spirit to whom Indians should address themselves on all
occasions — he who knew everything that went on in the
world, and continually moved up and down to keep things
in order. In proof of his perpetual perambulation he
pointed to the condition of his shoes, which were almost
worn out. Tabashaw then gave him a new pair to help him
on his route. The great spirit further told him that the
traders treated him (Tabashaw) very ill, and, therefore, he
must return them his medals ; while as for liquor, ammuni-
tion, and tobacco, he should never want for any — at the
same time putting a writing in his hand, by virtue of which
he could procure whatever he wanted. The ghostly vis-
itor then asked where Tabashaw had set his traps ; the
places were pointed out, and then, after they had smoked
a couple of pipes together, the spirit vanished. Next
morning, on going to his traps, Tabashaw found the per-
son had hauled them on the banks, and pulled up the
stakes to which they were tied. I suspected the fellow
had been breeding this story all the spring, in hopes the
Indians would believe him, and that by such means he
could recover the authority he had lost over the Saulteurs.

l8o WOOD TICKS— PLANS FOR THE SUMMER.

He is a sly scoundrel, and I shall take measures to coun-
teract his proceedings."

Ever since April 25th we have been plagued with wood
ticks [a species of Ixodes\ ; and now that we are daily in
the woods and grass, our clothes swarm with those trouble-
some and dangerous insects, which often get into the ear
and cause inflammation. When they have time to get
firm hold they cannot be removed without pulling the body
from the head, which remains in the skin, and causes an itch-
ing which may last for several months. The bellies of our
horses and dogs are covered with them ; they adhere to the
flesh until they have sucked themselves full of blood and
are swelled nearly to the size of a musket ball, when they
fall off of themselves. Their natural size is about that of a
grain of barley, and in shape they are perfectly flat, with a
tough, hard skin, of a chestnut color. They continue to
the end of July, when they suddenly disappear.

May joth. Two of my men came from Portage la
Prairie, nth. All the Indians arrived ; also, a canoe from
Red lake, containing an Indian and his family, with 20
beaver and five bear skins. 12th. I assembled them all,
and gave them five kegs of mixed rum gratis, besides cloth-
ings to the two chiefs, Vieux Collier and Chamanau, with a
long speech, telling them how they must conduct them-
selves, and informing them of my determination to build a
fort this summer on Panbian river, where Langlois was to
remain with six men for that purpose. Three men arrived
from Portage la Prairie with tools for building, bringing also
30 very small potatoes, making about half a hat full, and
four horses to haul wood, i/f-th. The plains on fire in
every direction, and smoke darkens the air.

May 15th. I made up the packs. Indians drinking and
troublesome. Engaged Langlois, Desmarais, Pierre, and

*' No doubt the "sly scoundrel "was lying, and perhaps the story was made of
whole cloth ; nevertheless, see Tanner, p. 124, where Tabushshah is spoken of
in connection with a certain Aguskogaut, named as "a Muskego chief," who
" called himself a prophet of the Great Spirit, like the one who appeared some

SKIN CANOES — PEMBINA SITE SELECTED. l8l

some others to settle the men's accounts. i6th. I sent off
the canoes with the remaining property, the summer men,
etc., for Panbian river, and dispatched to the Forks two
men in two skin canoes loaded with bags of pemmican,
10 in each.

These canoes are made by constructing a frame with wil-
lows, nearly in the shape of a canoe, and stretching one or
sometimes two raw buffalo hides over this frame, according
to the required size ; if two, they are cut square at the
shoulders and sewed together with sinews. The sides are
then brought over the largest willow, which serves as the
gunnel, and lashed fast with leather cords. The hair is
generally on the inside. These canoes will carry great
loads, but it is necessary to unload them at least once a day
and dry them in the sun or over the fire ; otherwise they
would soon sink. They are only fit for drifting down the
current.

May ijth. The baggages, 40 pieces per canoe and two
men in each, were sent off to the Forks. I went up to Pan-
bian river on horseback to find a proper spot for building.
I got there at twelve o'clock, crossed Red river with Des-
marais, planted my potatoes and sowed a few garden seeds
on the spot where Mr. Grant's fort stood. We recrossed,
and, after examining the ground, pitched on the N. side of
Panbian river, at the point of land between that and Red
river, about 100 paces from each. The ground was so encum-
bered with large fallen trees, and the underwood so intri-
cate, that we could not see ten yards before us ; however,
I drew out the place as soon as possible. Between this
spot and the plains on the W. are great numbers of fine
large oaks, very proper for building, and on the N. side, be-
tween this and a small rivulet, are plenty of fine large bois
blancs, proper for flooring and covering. The stockades

years since among the Shawanees." Tanner's probable date is too late for the
particular story Henry had from Tabashaw ; but the woods were as full of
volunteer Messiahs in those days as they are now, and Tabashaw could easily
have been favored with such a revelation as he professed to have received.

1 82 GRAND MEDICINE — PEMBINA PARTY DETAILED.

must be hauled from some distance below, where there are
fine patches of poplar.

This being settled, I remained for the night and slept in
the old [Chaboillez's] fort on the S. side. Fleas and wood
lice made me very uncomfortable ; the former always
abound in our old buildings and are very troublesome.
Early on the i8th we returned to Reed river and found the
Indians busy making the grand medicine — a ceremony per-
formed every spring, when they meet and there is some
novice to be admitted into the mysteries of this solemn
affair. On this occasion two young men were received, be-
sides a woman and Langlois' girl. Many curious circum-
stances are reported concerning the admittance of women
into this mystery of mysteries. The most ancient and
famous for the art among the men, it is said, take every
privilege with a novice and are granted every favor they
wish to enjoy.

May igth. I embarked, leaving all hands preparing to
proceed up to Panbian river. Mr. Langlois is principal
trader ; Desmarais is in charge of the garden, horses, fishing,
etc.; Le Due [?] conducts the work with Rainville [Dais-
ville], Dubord [Dubois], Hamel, Pouliotte [Pouliot] ; and Le
Boeuf [an Indian] is to hunt." The Indians saluted me with

^' Compare the list on p. 77. The name " Le Due " does not appear there,
and looks as if it here stands for Larocque : but see Oct. 27th, 1801, beyond.
There is no difficulty in identifying the other names, though here is the one
place where we find ' ' Rainville " for the Daisville or Donville of p. 50 ; I suspect
that Rainville is the proper name. With regard to the functions of this man,
Dubois, Hamel, and Pouliot, the punctuation of the copy is ambiguous ; I con-
strue it that they are all to work under " Le Due," and that the Indian Le
Bceuf is the only professional hunter : he is eulogized in this capacity
beyond (Nov. 2d, 1802). But in citing this passage Bell, /. f. p. 8, has : " Le
Diec \sic\ conductor of the work : with Rainville, Dubard \sic\ Hamel, Pou-
livette \sic\ and Le Boeuf, to hunt." Whatever their respective functions, this
is the definitely ascertained party who break up the post of 1800-01 on Roseau
or Reed r. , and proceed to establish a new post on the N. side of the mouth of
Pembina r., at the site Henry selected May 17th. See p. 80, and note present
confirmation of positions there assigned to Grant's, Chaboillez's, and Henry's
houses, respectively.

DOWN RED RIVER TO THE FORKS. 1 83

firearms as I pushed off from the shore, and told me to make
all expedition possible, as they would soon be thirsty. We
camped at the salt pit, very much troubled with mosquitoes
and woodticks. Early on the 20th we embarked. At five
o'clock we perceived three black bears on the beach. I
debarked and approached them, when, upon firing at the
largest, which I killed dead on the spot, the other two
climbed up an oak, whence I knocked them both down.
The fur is still very fine and the skins valuable. At the
entrance of Rat river I perceived a large moose, and went
after him ; but he decamped. Killed an outarde, a duck, and
a pigeon. At Riviere la Sale I saw two moose crossing. I
debarked and went after them by making a circuit in the
woods ; but they had landed before I could reach the spot.
I made a turn in the woods, and finding myself at a proper
distance, I was approaching, when they started and rushed
back to the river. I chased and found them already more
than half over. I fired at the nearest one and lodged the
ball in his head between the ears, which killed him in-
stantly, but he sunk to the bottom. My canoe joined me ;
we drifted slowly down with the current, and soon saw the
ears of the moose appear out of water. We hauled him
ashore, cut him up, and took the meat in my canoe.

At sunset we arrived at the Forks, where I found my
people waiting for me. No news from Assiniboine river,
except that they are starving at Portage la Prairie, and
exist only on esquebois \Psoralea esciilefita f], a root about
the thickness and length of a man's finger, which may be
termed the wild potato or pomme de terre of this country ;
it has a thin skin of a yellowish color, the inside perfectly
white, and when boiled is tolerably good eating. They are
also eaten raw, but are then of a windy nature, and some-
times cause a severe colic. I have known people to suffer
much after eating a moderate quantity.

May 2ist. Men fishing with hook and line, and others
with the seine ; all were successful, taking plenty of catfish,
sturgeon, lacaishe, and other kinds.

1 84

OFF FOR GRAND PORTAGE.

May 22d. Gave my people directions to take care of the
baggage, and set off on horseback for Portage la Prairie,
where I arrived at dusk. Found all hands actually starving.
I remained here until June ist, when I embarked for
Grand Portage in a light canoe with eight men.

RETURNS OF LOWER RED RIVER DEPARTMENT, 180O-OI.

Beaver skins; weight, 1,904 lbs. . ,

Black bear skins

Brown bear do

Grizzly bear do

Wolf do

Red fox do

Kitt do

Raccoon do

Fisher do

Otter do

Marten do

Mink do

"Wolverene do

Loup-cervier do

Dressed moose and biche skins. . .
Shaved and parchment do. . . .

Muskrat do

Buffalo robes

Badger skins ,

Packs of 90 lbs. each

Bags of pemmican of 90 lbs. each

Kegs of grease ....

" " beef

Bales of dried meat

REED RIVER,
M. LANGLOIS.

832
52
20

4
III

37
108
60
26
68
2

9
I

63
I

26
I

PARK RIVER,
A. HENRV.

643

23
2

83
102

7
160
70
36
36
29

II
20

29
26

31
9

TOTALS, IN
4 CANOES.

1.475

177

204

184

197
178
96
62
97
5
20
21
92
27
56
10
60

Gain, Halifax currency, ;^i,958 lis. iid.

CHAPTER IV.

THE PEMBINA RIVER POST : l80I-02.

7^ UG. 22d, 1801.' We arrived at the Forks of the Assin-
-^^ iboine ; sent on the canoes ; took the horse myself,
and, with two men, proceeded by land up the Assiniboine
three leagues to the Grand Passage, where we crossed, hav-
ing the water up to our saddles. Came on, and slept at the
passage on Sale river.

Att^;-. 2jd. Early we were on our horses ; saw numerous
herds of buffalo in the grand traverse, and at sunset reached
Panbian river, where we found camped, near the fort, 55 men
bearing arms — the same people we traded with last winter,
with a few more Saulteurs from Red lake. Not an Assini-
boine or a Cree has been here during the summer. The
former are doubtful of the behavior of the Saulteurs toward
them ; the latter have made several trips to the Assiniboine,
and purchased a number of horses, for guns and medicines.
The latter are of their own collection, and consist of differ-
ent roots and barks, some of which are found on this river,
and others are brought from the Fond du Lac country, and
even from the south side of Lake Superior. I found the
stockades erected, and our houses and stores nearly finished.
My people have been alarmed the whole summer, our
Indians telling them almost every day that they saw the
enemy. Those alerts, however, always proved to be false —

' A new narrative begins abruptly at this date. Henry has been to Grand
Portage, on Lake Superior, during this summer, and has returned, thus making
a Journey of which we have no account. We pick him up at the confluence of
the Assiniboine with Red r. — at Winnipeg. He is en route to the post which
Michel Langlois established last May at the mouth of Pembina r. He sends
his brigade up Red r. to that place, and goes himself by land, his first move
being up the Assiniboine to the fording-place known as the Grand Passage ;
whence he continues to camp at Riviere la Sale : for this, see note '*, p. 55.

i8s

l86 ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SEASON.

merely schemes to shelter their indolence, as they have
done nothing, not even providing any provisions, though
buffalo have been very numerous, commonly in sight of the
fort. Ten packs of furs and skins have been brought by the
Indians from Red lake, etc. On the 28th my canoes and
bateaux arrived. I gave the Indians a present of ten kegs
of mixed liquor and as many fathoms of tobacco, for which
I did not receive one penny; still, several were displeased
and asked for more.

Aug. 30th. Indians still drinking, and very troublesome.
I gave the summer men their equipments and advances,
and made up an assortment of goods of 25 pieces for
Grandes Fourches,'' and another of 15 pieces for the Hair
hills.

An Indian arrived with his family in a small canoe, 15
days from Leech lake, bringing intelligence of several Saul-
teurs having murdered one another in a drinking match at
that place a few days before he left. This caused a ter-
rible uproar in camp here, the deceased persons being near
relatives to some of our Indians, among whom were also
persons related to the murderers ; the former insisted on
retaliating, and it was with great trouble that we prevented
them by taking away their arms. They were all drunk, and
kept up a terrible bawling, lamenting the deaths of their
relations. The liquor tended to augment their grief,

Sept. 1st. I sent off the boat for Grandes Fourches,
John Cameron, master. He goes by land with four horses.
I also sent off Langlois with four men and five small
carts, each drawn by one horse, loaded with three packs
of goods and baggage. Indians now sober and decamp-
ing to follow their traders, some to Grandes Fourches,
and others to the Hair hills. I sent a party of my men
for buffalo ; Joseph Roy' served as hunter.

2 Of Red r. — present Grand Forks, N. Dak., at which point Henry was
about to establish a post : see note '*, p. 127.

^ Persons named Roy, Roi, Le Roy, Leroy, etc., were many in the fur-trade ;
their names frequently appear, for the most part without Christian appellatives.

H. B. AND X. Y. OPPOSITION. 18/

Sept. yth. Bras Court's [Short Arm's] daughter died,
aged nine years. Great lamentation — must have a keg of
liquor to wash away the grief from the heart, a fathom of
cloth to cover the body, and a quarter of a pound of ver-
milion to paint the same. On the 13th Thomas Miller,
with eight Orkney men of the H. B. Co., arrived from
Albany factory and began to build below me, on the E.
side of Red river [appar. about site of present St. Vincent,
Minn.]. They have one boat and one canoe. I went
hunting on horseback, killed two buffalo, and had the
misfortune to burst my double-barreled gun. lyth. I
went below to meet the X. Y. opposition. Found Mr.
Desf ond * building at Riviere aux Gratias ; he had one

and hence are not easily identified. We have had already in Henry, Etienne
Roy : see list, p. 51, and compare note '^, p. 137, I have made memoranda
of the following : Aimable Roy's family was one of seven of which the settle-
ment of Baye Verte consisted in 1785. — Augustin Roy of the N. W. Co. was
on 600 livres wages at Le Pic, 1799. — Baptiste Roy (full name no doubt Jean
Baptiste Roy) of N. W. Co. was at Lower Fort des Prairies on the Saskatch-
ewan, 1799 I Baptiste Roy, again, was voyageur of the N. W. Co. in the
Fond du Lac Dept., 1804. — Fran9ois Roy of N, W. Co. was at L'Anse,
1801-02 : see abstract at end of this chapter. — Francois Roy was voyageur,
N. W. Co., Fort Dauphin, 1804. — Jean Roy (full name no doubt Jean Baptiste
Roy) was with the trader Umfreville, about 1782. — Jean Baptiste Roy of the
N. W. Co. was at Fort Gibraltar on Red r. when it was seized by Colin
Robertson for the H. B. Co. in Apr., 18 16, and was a witness at Toronto in the
Semple case in Oct., 18 18. — Jean Baptiste Louis Roy was one of the defenders
of Cote sans Dessein on the Missouri against Sacs, Foxes, and lowas, 1814-
see Tasse, II, pp. 131-36. — Joseph Roy's family was one of seven of which
Baye Verte consisted in 1785 : compare Aimable Roy. — Joseph Roy of the
N. \V. Co. was foreman in the Athabasca Dept.,' 1804. — Joseph Roy, alias
Portelance, was voyageur, N. W. Co., Le Pic, 1804. — Vincent Roy was
voyageur or interpreter, or both, N. W. Co., Fond du Lac Dept., 1799 and
1804. — One Roy was " found by himself " by David Thompson, Aug. 27th,
1798, at the mouth of R. aux Rapides (Missinipi waters, near Lac la Rouge).
— One Roy, employee N. W. Co., was under Thompson at the fort near Forks
of Peace r., summer and fall of 1803. — Pierre Voison, alias Roy, appears in
N. W. Co. lists as at Kaministiquia, 1804.

* Elsewhere J. Desford and J. Duford — latter appar. the correct name. He
was at Pembina for the X. Y. Co., winter of 1803-04 ; joined the N. W. Co.
after the coalition of 1804 ; was shot by an Indian at Pembina, 2 a. m.,
Oct. 31st, 1805, died 2 p. m., Nov. ist, 1805 : details beyond, at these dates.

1 88 PEMBINA RIVER POST FINISHED.

canoe and five men. I met also one of my canoes that had
made a second trip from Bas de la Riviere to Lac la Pluie
[mouth of the Winnipeg to Rainy lake], Augustin Cadotte/
guide. 2ist. Mr. J. Crebassa* arrived with two canoes
and ten men for the X. Y.; they build also below me ;
none of them dare build above me for fear of the Sioux.
2^th. Sent J. B. Desmarais and five men in a canoe with
15 pieces to build at Riviere aux Gratias. 2yth. Hard
frost last night ; melons and cucumbers frozen, joth.
Hunting on horseback with Ven. St. Germain;' buffalo
very numerous at Grand Marais ; I killed three cows, one
extraordinarily fat, with nearly three inches of d^pouilles.
Oct. 1st. My fort and buildings finished. Sent men to
make hay on the E. side of Red river, jd. Went hunting
with St. Germain ; killed one cow and a calf. 6th. A

* Augustin Cadotte is listed as clerk and interpreter, N. W. Co., 1804, Lower
Red r.; he was under Henry at Salt r. on Red r. to oppose the X. Y. Co.
there, winter of 1804-05 : see beyond. Augustin Cadot appears as a witness in
Semple case at Toronto, Oct., 1818, when he is said to have been 38 years in
the Red River region, etc.

* John Crebassa appears as clerk, N. W. Co., Lower Red r., 1804, after
the coalition. A Mr. Crebassa was in charge of Fort au Bas de la Riviere,
July, 18 14.

' St. Germain is a surname of various persons in the fur-trade. — One St. Ger-
main was contre-maitre (foreman) under Umfreville, about 1782. — One St.
Germain arrived at Athabasca post Oct. loth, 1788. — One St. Germain was at
Lac la Pluie, 1789-90. — One St. Germain of the N. W. Co. was on the Assini-
boine, 1799-1800 — very likely the one of our text. — One St. Germain was
voyageur on Franklin's first Exped., 1821. — Baptiste or Jean Baptiste St.
Germain of the N. W. Co, was at Michipicoten in 1799; wages 1,200 livres.
— Hy. St. Germain had a house on Lake Superior, two days from Grand Portage,
in 1798 : so Thompson, and the St. Germain met by him on the new Kaminis-
tiquia route, Aug. ist, 1804, may have been this one. " Hy." stands for
Hyacinthe or Hippolyte. — Joseph St. Germain, of Isle Jesus, near Montreal,
was the father of Ven. St. Germain of the text. — Joseph St. Germain, clerk and
interpreter, N. W. Co., Lower Red r., was sent by Henry to summer at
Portage la Prairie, May 25th, 1804. — Venant (or Vincent) St. Germain, son of
Jos. St. Germain, was apprenticed clerk N. W. Co. 1804, was sent by A. Henry
to summer at Portage la Prairie, visited Pembina July, 1804, and was there
killed by Joseph Rainville. — Lemaire St. Germain of N. W. Co. was at Michi-
picoten in 1799 ; wages same as Baptiste's.

LANGLOIS' NEW HOUSE ON HAIR HILLS. 1 89

heavy fall of snow. I took my potatoes out of the ground,
I J^ bushels ; the horses had destroyed my other vegetables.
Mr. Chaboillez arrived from Portage la Prairie. loth.
Went to the Hair hills with Mr. Cameron ; * arrived at sun-
set; found Langlois had built about three leagues higher
up than our house was last winter, exactly at the foot of
the steep sandy banks, where the river first issues from the
mountain. i^th. Returned home. Chamanau arrived

* The Camerons were numerous ; I have the following memoranda concern-
ing them : ^neas Cameron, N. W. Co., signed the Montreal agreement of
Nov. 5th, 1804, by his attys. — Donald Cameron wintered on the Assiniboine at
the mouth of Mouse r., 1793-94. — Donald Cameron of the N. W. Co. was in
the Nepigon Dept. in 1799; wages 1,200. — Dugald Cameron was a clerk of
the N. W. Co., Nepigon, 1797, with Duncan and Ronald ; Nepigon also 1799 ;
wages 600 ; left Fort William with Ronald Cameron for winter quarters,
Aug. 6th, 1812. — Duncan Cameron was the son of a United Empire Loyalist
from Scotland, who settled at Schenectady, N. Y., and afterward went to
Canada. Duncan entered N. W. Co. as clerk in 1785 ; clerk, Nepigon, 1797 ;
in chge. of the Nepigon district, 1799 ; signed Montreal agreement of Nov. 5th,
1804, by his attys.; was agent of N. W. Co. at Forks of Red r. in 1814, and
was ordered by Miles McDonnell, Oct. 21st, 1814, to quit in six months ; took
part in the violent disturbances which resulted in the destruction of Fort
Gibraltar and Fort Douglas, death of Gov. Semple, and dispersion of the Selkirk
colony, June 19th, 1816. He was arrested at Fort Gibraltar, detained for over
a year at York Factory, sent to England, released without trial, returned to
Canada, retired from N. W. Co., and settled at Williamstown, Glengary Co.,
which he represented in the Assembly of Upper Canada, 1820-24 • see his
journal of 1804-05 in Masson, II. pp. 267-300, 1885. — One of his sons is Sir
Roderick Cameron, in the Australian trade in New York, 1889. — Jonathan
Cameron is listed as a clerk of the N. W. Co. for the Muskako country, 1797.
— John Cameron is listed as of the N. W. Co., Lake Winnipeg Dept., 1799 I
wages 240. — John Dugald (or Dougal) Cameron, supposed to be brother of
Hon. Duncan Cameron, entered N. W. Co. about 1790; served mostly in the
Nepigon district, where he was clerk in 1804 ; was still in service of H. B. Co.
in 1843 ; in 1844 settled at Crafton, near Coburg, where he died, leaving a son,
Ronald Cameron, whose dau. became Mrs. Clouston of Winnipeg. — Ronald
Cameron was clerk N. W. Co. for Nepigon, 1797, with Duncan Cameron and
another Cameron ; Ronald left Fort William for his winter quarters with
Dougal or Dugald Cameron Aug. 6th, 1812. — " Mr." Cameron of N. W. Co.,
under A. Henry, on Red r., died 7 p. m., Jan. 3d, 1804, at N. W. post on
Riviere aux Liards : see the date, beyond. — For Murdoch Cameron, trader on
St. Peter's r., in Minnesota, 1805, and thereabouts, see Pike, ed. 1895, pp. 66,
67, 70, 82, 86, 202, 208, 238.

190 BURIAL — ANOTHER DEATH — WHITEWASH.

from the hills, bringing his deceased wife on a travaille to
be buried here. It cost me a large keg of mixed liquor, a
blanket, three pots, and a quarter of a pound of vermilion
to cover the corpse. A few Assiniboines, Crees, and Son-
nants begin to come to our mountain house to trade.
i^th. Mr. Cameron started off; I went with him to Gratias
river. lyth. Returned home ; the plains on fire in every
direction. igtJi. Set a man at work to cut my winter
stock of fire wood. 22d. I had a watch-house built
fronting the X. Y. door; placed St. Germain and Le Due'
to watch their motions. Terrible fires all over the plains.
Wayquetoe's wife died of the wounds of last winter, when
her husband shot her.

Oct. 2jtJi. Le Sucrie [Sucre, Sweet, or Wiscoup] and
ten other Indians arrived from Leech lake. Cournoyer '" of
the X. Y. started with four men for the Hair hills, to build
near Langlois. Neither of my neighbors has a horse; all
their transportation is on men's backs. The H. B. Co.
started to build at the Grand Passage on Panbian river. I
sent to the Hair hills for earth to whitewash my houses,
there being none near Red river. This white earth gener-
ally lies in the open plain, covered with about a foot of
black soil. It is sometimes in strata a foot thick, inter-
mixed with black soil and sand, and, again, is simply
covered with the black soil, under which it is pure and
white, like lime, and answers the same purpose in setting
our buildings.

Nov. 1st. Snow fell about six inches in depth. I went
to the mountain to meet the Stone Indians. Old Frog and
his band have ten tents. I settled with them, and they
made great promises to hunt well. ^th. Panbian river

' Compare note *', p. 182. — One Le Due, of the seigneury of Les Cedres, in
1 76 1 the uppermost white settlement on the St. Lawrence, had been a fur-
trader on Lake Superior and at Michilimackinac. — Fran9ois Leduc is listed as a
voyageur, N. W. Co., Nepigon Dept., 1804. — Jean Baptiste Leduc, an old
trader in 1785, was then living with Aimable Roy at Baye Verte.

•" Whether or not the same as Jean Baptiste Cournoyer, listed as voyageur
N. W. Co., Lake Winnipeg, after the fusion of 1804.

VARIOUS MOVEMENTS AND OCCUPATIONS. I91

frozen over at the Hair hills. I returned home. yth. Red
river frozen over. Desmarais and old Mouge have aban-
doned Riviere aux Gratias ; both parties were coming up in
their canoes, but on the 5th were stopped by ice near Pan-
bian river; they have not seen one Indian since their
arrival. I ordered Desmarais to return with his baggage to
Riviere aux Gratias on the ice. i^th. My men finished a
stable for our working horses, i^th. Heavy rain, which
melted all the snow. Men now go again for meat, with
small carts, the wheels of which are each of one solid piece,
sawed off the ends of trees whose diameter is three feet.
Those carriages we find much more convenient and advan-
tageous than it is to load horses, the country being so
smooth and level that we can use them in every direction.
An Indian brought me a large cabbri," which had four
inches of fat on the rump. 22d-24.th. Snow continued.
Men making sleighs. The Saulteurs at the Hair hills have
joined the Stone Indians, and all are camped together in
idleness, singing, dancing, smoking, and trading medicine
for horses. 28th. The men put up a flag-staff — an oak
stick of 75 feet, without splicing. I gave them two gallons
of high wine, four fathoms of tobacco, and some flour and
sugar, to make merry. jotJi. Men begin to use sleighs
and dogs.

Dec. 1st. Three men arrived from Grandes Fourches ;
no Indians there ; all gone below. Our people there are
continually in a state of alarm, and keep watch day and
night. 2d. I sent two men to make salt at Riviere aux
Gratias. ^d. Two men arrived from Portage la Prairie
with letters. 4.th. Men returned to Portage la Prairie and
Grandes Fourches ; sent letters northward. Snow all day.

" Variant in Henry and elsewhere to cabbre, cabbrie, caberie, cabre, cabree,
cabri, cabrie, etc. The word is commonly supposed to be from the Spanish
cabra or cab7-i, goat, same as Lat. capra, and I have so considered it, e.g., L.
and C, ed. 1893, p. 35, q. v. But it occurs in early annals of the N. W. under
circumstances which lead me to believe it an entirely different word, of Indian
origin. The animal designated is the well-known American antelope, Antilo-
capra americana.

192 CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR AT PEMBINA.

i/^th. Buffalo near the fort. Three men arrived from
Grandes Fourches. i6th. Sent them back. Went to the
hills with a horse and cariole, low and surrounded with
parchment buffalo skin ; it only weighed 20 pounds, but
was large enough for one person and his bedding, igth.
Returned home ; buffalo in abundance near the fort. 21st.
Set off for Riviere aux Gratias with my horse and cariole. I
met Joseph St. Germain and family at Riviere aux Marais,
en route from Portage la Prairie ; they came to remain at
Panbian river. Desmarais takes a few fish every day at the
entrance of the little river, with a small net; he caught a
large sturgeon some time ago, and often takes small ones
of the rough, scaly sort, called sturgeon millers.''

Friday, Dec. 2^th. — Christmas. Snowed all day. Indians
perpetually going and coming from one house to another,
getting what they ask for, without the trouble of hunting.
2yth. Lac la Pluie Indians arrived, for people to go en
derouine on the upper part of Two Rivers. 28th. Red
Lake Indians arrived from Lac aux Voleurs. We have
our hands full ; since my arrival it has been the same —
never one day quiet, sist. I came home from Grandes
Fourches, Riviere aux Gratias, and Hair hills.

Friday, Jan. ist, 1802. This morning the usual cere-
mony of firing, etc., was performed. I treated my people
with two gallons of high wine, five fathoms of tobacco, and
some flour and sugar. My neighbors came visiting, and
before sunrise both sexes of all parties were intoxicated
and more troublesome than double their number of Saul-
teurs ; the men were fighting and quarreling all night.
Joseph St. Germain and others returned from a derouine
with 200 skins, all good — the best derouine ever made from
Panbian river. 3d. People continually en derouine to
Indians' tents ; arrivals from and departures to the different

" So copy, perhaps for the F. term esturgeon milieu. The species meant is
not the shovel-nosed sturgeon, Scaphirhynchops platyrhynchus, but simply the
young of the common sturgeon of British American fresh waters, Acipenser
rubicundus, differing much from the adult in appearance.

DEROUINES AND TRIPS TO OUTPOSTS. I93

outposts, and men hauling home meat from the hunters*
tent. Buffalo near the fort ; I killed two bulls with one
ball. loth. Hunters running buffalo, with which the plains
are covered ; at the fort heard them fire, and saw the cows
fall ; they killed 23. The beasts were bellowing all night.
Jan. ijtk. Before daybreak I set off with two men for the
Assiniboine, by way of Riviere aux Gratias. Each of my
men had a train of two dogs, with my baggage and provi-
sions, and I a train drawn by three stout dogs. Snow very
deep ; my men were obliged to beat the road all the way
on snowshoes. We were one day going to Riviere aux
Gratias ; five thence to Portage la Prairie ; five thence to
Riviere la Souris ; two thence to Delorme's" house in the
Hair hills ; four to Langlois' house ; and one back to
Panbian river. All this distance my men walked hard
upon snowshoes.

Feb. ijth. During my absence my people went up to
Riviere aux Pares, and made 10 kegs of salt. My winter
stock of fresh meat is complete. Derouines and trips to
outposts continue as usual. Men came from Lake Winipic
for provisions, i^th. Very severe weather. One of our
horses, attempting to drink, fell into our water-hole in the
river, and perished. Buffalo have destroyed all the grass,
and our horses are starving. 2jd. Lac la Pluie Indians
arrived — a new band. I got 100 good skins from them in
one derouine. X. Y. are starving, though buffalo surround

'^ Delorme or De Lome was a common name ; the one meant in the text is
not further specified. — Pierre De Lorme was one of the men who started on Sir
Alexander McKenzie's memorable voyage to the Arctic ocean, June 3d, 1789. —
Fran9ois Delorme is listed as of N. W. Co., Lower Red r., 1799. — One Delorme
of the N. W. Co. was with Thompson at the fort near the forks of Peace r.,
summer and fall of 1803; perhaps Pierre. — Pierre Lemay, </?V Delorme, is listed
as voyageur N. W. Co., Athabasca Dept., 1804. — Aimable Delorme is listed as
voyageur N. W. Co., Nepigon district, 1804. — " Mr." Delorme of N. W. Co.
was sent by Henry to summer at Portage la Prairie, 1804 ; no doubt same as
the Delorme of the above text. — Thompson speaks of meeting five Slave lake
canoes " under Delorme," May 2Jst, 1812. — One Delorme v/as a freeman at
Winnipeg, Aug. loth, 1808. — Fran9ois Enos, dit Delorme, was a witness in the
Semple case at Toronto, Oct., 1818.

194 ONE FEU-DE-JOIE, ONE BIRTH, THREE MURDERS.

them. They eat the old scabby bulls we kill for our diver-
sion. 28th. Three of our horses died. The cold is very
severe ; snow deep, and no grass.

Mar. jd. Finding the poplar stockades were neither
strong nor durable, I set all my men to work cutting oak
stockades to make a new fort. ^th. Mr. Cameron arrived
from Grandes Fourches. A large wolf came into my
tent three times, and always escaped a shot. Next day,
while hunting, I found him dead about a mile from the
fort ; he was very lean and covered with scabs, yth. We
made a feii-de-joie with the H. B. Co., whose houses at
Grand Passage burned, with their baggage, and roasted
the meat of 10 cows in their storehouse — fine sport for the
wolves and crows. 12th. Pierre's [Bonza's] wife was
delivered of a daughter — the first fruit at this fort, and a
very black one.

Mar. i^th. In a drinking match at the Hills yesterday,
Gros Bras [Thick Arms] in a fit of jealousy stabbed
Aupusoi to death with a hand-dague [dagger] ; the first
stroke opened his left side, the second his belly, and the
the third his breast ; he never stirred, although he had a
knife in his belt, and died instantly. Soon after this
Aupusoi's brother, a boy about 10 years of age, took the
deceased's gun, loaded it with two balls, and approached
Gros Bras' tent. Putting the muzzle of the gun through
the door the boy fired the two balls into his breast and
killed him dead, just as he was reproaching his wife for her
affection for Aupusoi, and boasting of the revenge he had
taken. The little fellow ran into the woods and hid.
Little Shell [Petite Coquille] found the old woman, Aupu-
soi's mother, in her tent; he instantly stabbed her.
Ondainoiache then came in, took the knife, and gave her
a second stab. Little Shell, in his turn taking the knife,
gave a third blow. In this manner did these two rascals
continue to murder the old woman, as long as there was
any life in her. The boy escaped into Langlois' house,
and was kept hid until they were all sober. Next morning

WINTER EXPRESS— SPRING OPENING. I95

a hole was dug in the ground, and all three were buried
together. This affair kept the Indians from hunting, as
Gros Bras was nearly related to the principal hunters.

Mar. isth. Killed four cows ; saw a swan, an oiseau
puant [turkey-buzzard], and a hawk — the first spring birds.
lyth. I sent Jos. and Vent. St. Germain with two men to
Red lake to trade sugar and recover debts. 20th. Tobacco
is passing between the Saulteurs and Crees and Assini-
boines for war next summer ; great preparations are sent to
Leech lake and Fort Dauphin. They propose to assemble
here June 30th. joth. A dispute with the men about haul-
ing stockades across the little creek. Augustin Cadotte
and myself convinced them it was not impossible, by set-
ing the example. Continual snowstorm, j/jt/. The north-
ern winter express arrived ; it comes only from Fort des
Prairies.

April 1st. Express off to Grandes Fourches per Augus-
tin Cadotte. 2d. Went to Riviere aux Gratias ; got snow-
blind. One of my horses died. 5th. Set my men to work
building a storehouse 100 feet long and 20 wide, all oak.
7th. Saw a few outardes. gth. The women began to make
a little sugar. I saw a flock of pelicans {^Pelecamis erythro-
rhynchtis]. 14th. X. Y. people began to build near my fort
on the N. side of the little brook. i6th. Panbian river
broke up. Wild fowl now plenty, igth. Red river began
to give away, and the ice moved ; snow all melted on the
plains. I went hunting ; calves are very numerous, and I
brought one home with me alive. 20th. Buffalo in abun-
dance on the E. side of Red river and crossing opposite the
fort. 2jd. River clear of ice. Pigeons \Ectopistes migra-
toriiis] passing N. 24.th. Crow and Nanaundeyea came
down Tongue river with 36 whole beavers in a skin canoe.
Cyr" killed two beavers opposite the fort. 25th. Augustin

'* Joseph Cyr, whose name appears twice in Masson's lists of the N. W. Co.,
1804, Lower Red r. (II. pp. 402 and 405), with alternative spellings Sire, Sear,
and Seers. Henry describes Jos. Cyr as a freeman, his hunter at Pembina,
winter of 1803-04. Thompson also names one Cyr. Compare the term St. Cyr.

196 FIRST ARRIVAL OF ASSINIBOINES.

Cadotte arrived in a small canoe, four days from Grandes
Fourches. He brought 10 beaver skins, some wild fowl,
and two kegs of high wine. 26th. Went down to meet Des-
marais at Reed river ; got 30 beaver skins from Pickoutiss,
[one of the Red Lake Ojibways]. 2'jth. Storehouse fin-
ished. 28tJi. Desmarais' canoe arrived from Riviere aux
Gratias. Thomas Mitchel, H. B. Co., embarked en baggage
for the Forks. Melancon'^ deserted from us. Men began
to erect stockades, joth. Fire on the plains in every
direction.

Saturday, May ist. I set fire to the E. side of the river.
We sent our horses to graze in the plains on the W. side.
2d. Langlois and others came en baggage down Panbian
river in three skin canoes ; one had upset and some prop-
erty been lost — sugar, beat meat,'* axes, etc. The current
had drawn her with such violence against a tree as to turn
her over. The river Indians are camping and all drinking
hard — men, women, and children, jd. Arrived and camped
four Assiniboines, with the Saulteurs — the first that have
come here to trade and drink. They are very suspicious of
the Saulteurs, and always on their guard with guns, bows,
and arrows in their hands. The young Saulteurs would
fain insult them during their drinking matches, but we
prevented it. 4.th. Indians all arrived. I gave them their
spring presents ; to some, clothing, to others large kegs of
mixed liquor. The chiefs were : Little Shell ; Buffalo ;
Nanaundeyea ; Chamanou ; Terre Grasse ; Maymiutch ;
Tabashaw ; and an Assiniboine. Total, eight chiefs "' fur-
nished with clothing and 10 kegs of liquor. This was
exclusive of about four kegs of mixed liquor I gave away
during the boison [drinking bout].

" This name appears in Masson's list without further specification, as that of
a voyageur N. W. Co., Lower Red r., 1804.

'^ Sic, meaning beaten meat — beef or venison, dried and pounded into shreds.

"Of the eight, six will be recognized in the list on p. 53 — Nos. 9, 25, 36,
28, 40, and 2. " Chamanou " does not figure there, but has appeared before in
Henry's text. The Assiniboine chief is nameless.

DOMESTIC TROUBLE — SAULTEURS KILLED. I97

May sth. Heavy rain ; some snow. Seine, but take noth-
ing, yth. Finished the fort. I gave the men a gallon of
high wine and some sugar. Desfond [Duford] quarreled
and parted from his wife ; he wished to detain his son,
a boy about nine years of age ; but the little fellow pre-
ferred to go with his mother, and on leaving the house fired
three arrows at his father, but missed him ; for, although
the old man was intoxicated, he had sense enough to avoid
the arrows, and allowed the child to walk off with his
mother, gth. Set a sturgeon net, the first ever put in this
river, the usual manner of taking sturgeon being with the
seine. It required 90 fathoms of net to cross the river, as
the water is high, and the strong current forms a great
bend ; it was with much difificulty we could set it. nth.
Nine inches of snow. Water faUing ; it had risen almost as
high as last year. Caught one sturgeon. 12th. An Indian
and his family arrived in a small canoe from Red lake, bring-
ing news that the Sioux had killed seven Saulteurs in that
quarter, all nearly related to those who are camped here
drunk. The man had scarcely landed before they were in
an uproar, bawling, howling, and lamenting the death of
their relations, the end of which was to beg rum to wash the
sorrow from their hearts. /J//:. Indians sober. I began to
sow garden seeds. Joseph Cyr deserted under pretense of
going to Portage la Prairie. Men bringing home calves
daily. i8th. We take plenty of sturgeon. Indians tor-
menting me for liquor gratis. 20th. Indians performing
their grand medicine, as usual in the spring. 21st. A small
canoe arrived from Portage la Prairie, bringing nearly a
bushel of potatoes for seed, some ammunition, tobacco,
etc. Made my packs, began the pemmican, and planted my
potatoes. Mr. Cameron arrived from Grandes Fourches.
Mosquitoes and woodlice in abundance. 24.th. Cabbage
appeared above ground. I purchased horses from the In-
dians, sold them to the men at 200 G. V. P. Cy." each, and

'^ So copy — I suppose it means Grand Portage currency, reckoned in French
livres, as distinguished from Halifax currency, reckoned in English £,. s. d.

198

ARRIVAL OF THE LITTLE DEVIL.

obliged them to do the work of the fort, hauling fuel, lum-
ber for building, etc. Augustin Cadotte moved to Teko-
gonaibick. The Indians have daily alarms and would per-
suade me of danger ; but I am no longer a stranger, and not
easily imposed upon.

RETURNS OF LOWER RED RIVER DEPARTMENT, l80I-02.

Beavers, weighing 1,805 lbs

Black bears

Brown bears

Wolves

Foxes

Raccoons

Fishers

Otters

Martens

Minks ,

Wolverenes

Loup-cerviers

Dressed moose and biches

Shaved and parchment biches

Muskrats

Buffalo robes

Packs of 90 lbs. each » . . .

Bags of pemmican, of 90 lbs. each

Kegs of beef

Kegs of grease

Kegs of sugar

-2
2 o

o u
W tn

< t

^ si

2.x-

410

30
20
29

23
29

i2 </5
o J

2 *

200

160

39
14
57
5
13

220

. <

5 " S
< ^ o

S g X
in i: a

a " <:

Oq w

CO 0/W
-1, >

8
2
3
38
2

5
5
I
8

t <

u a
X u

< X

•i K
>

629
18

4
58
16

39
67
24
6
26

38
8
2

25;^

33
16

^ o5

S H
O

h
O

1,369

256

77
85
185
60
24
40
I

270

13
10

Gain, Halifax currency, ;^i,i7i 15s. 7d.

May 2yth. Little Devil, an Assiniboine chief, with five
others, arrived from Buffalo Head on horseback, bringing
a pack of beaver skins and some provisions. H. B. Co.
men preparing their canoes and boat. The Indians, having
finished the grand medicine, are making the wabbano. This
ceremony is performed at all seasons, but more particularly

WABANO — READINESS TO DEPART.

199

in the fall and spring, when they assemble in large parties.
It is not so solemn as the grand medicine, nor does it
require such ceremonious initiation. People of all ages
and both sexes may partake in the outward show of singing
and dancing, but not all of them are acquainted with such
mysteries as the different medicines, songs, and conjuration
tricks.

ABSTRACT OF NORTHWEST RETURNS OF l802 FOR OUTFIT OF 180I.

Lac la Biche

Upper English river ,

Rat river

Upper Fort des Prairies. . ,
Lovv'er Fort des Prairies . . ,

Swan river ,

Lake Winipic

Upper Red river

Lower Red river

Lac la Pluie

Nepigon

Pic and L. river

Fond du Lac

M. & M. Cadottes

Michepicotton

Batchewoinan bay

Grand Portage

Red lake, Fond du Lac ....

Fran9ois Roy, L'Anse

Joseph Reaume, Folleavoine
Lac des Mille Lacs

ATHABASCA.'

708

4,581

1,333
643
846

2,045

156
1,271

3,314
1,243

1,334

737
258
414

179
334
411

466

s.
16
14

19
II

4
10

20,300

7
oX

7
5

2}4

SLAVE LAKH.*

1,902

1.945

I>^

MACKENZIE RIVER.*

84
148

28
193

22
119

138

143
103

147

lOI

71
21
II

15
II

28
25

I5i6t

C. &D.

G. &H.

F. &L

R. A.

* Not given.

t Inland packs of 90 lbs.

May 28th. Everything is ready for embarkation — packs
and pemmican made, canoes repaired, and people settled for
the summer. We pass our time chasing buffalo, for which
we have many good horses, and take plenty of sturgeon.

An Indian made medicine to ask his Manitou whether a
certain sick person would recover. He started his juggling
after dark, and sang for a long time, keeping chorus with a

200

ABORIGINAL THERAPEUTICS.

rattle. At times he pretended to converse with a spirit,
muttering very low ; then he interpreted to the bystanders
what his Manitou had told him concerning the case — the
cause and nature of the sickness, and then some crime com-
mitted which prevented the cure. Before his conversation
with the spirit his juggling machine always appeared in
motion, bending to and fro as if shaken by the wind, while
he continued to sing with his utmost force, and appeared
greatly agitated ; when suddenly he ceased and appeared
deeply engaged in discourse. This ceremony continued

Dr.

N. W.

LOWER RED RIVER OUTFIT

To Amt. of invoice as per Grand Portage books,

2AS7

" Equipment for Proprietor, .....

" Do. 8 Clerks and Interpreters @ 400J.,

160

•' Do. 2 Guides and Interpreters @ 300J-. ,

" Do. 33 Canoemen (10 summer men excluded)

@ 78J.,

128

2,796

Interest thereon @ 4.66 ^ ct. to Nov. 30th, 1801, .

129

To Inventory of 1801 inland,

286

3,212

Interest thereon for 12 months @ 6 ^ ct. to Nov. 30th,

1802,

192

Freight to Montreal of 93 packs of 100 lbs., @ ^\s. Sd.,

193

3.598

Wages of 8 Clerks and Interpreters, . . 5.720

2 Guides " " ... 1,550

" 43 Men (including 10 summer men), 16,750

Extra wages for 2d trip to Lac la Pluie, 1,510

2,110

N. W. Co. livres 25,530 or

5.709

Balance on this outfit,

156

Halifax Cy. ,

;C5.866

8 Canoes from Grand Portage, 4 to Portage la Prairie, 4 to

Lower Red river.

Loss on them, ;^i,oi4 igs. id.

Gain on them, 1,171 lis. "jd.

FROM PEMBINA TO WINNIPEG.

20 1

until after midnight, when he at last declared he was in
doubt whether the sick person would recover or not.

May 2gth. Took inventories of the property to be left.

Sunday, May joth. At daybreak all hands were up, bag-
gage was given out, and at sunrise two large canoes, three
small ones, and a bateau, all very deeply loaded, were
drifting down the river.

May J 1st. At ten o'clock I embarked in my own canoe
with eight men ; overtook the brigade, and arrived at the
Forks at 4 p. m., June ist.

Cr.

FOR 1 801 CONTRA.

By Inventory of 1802,

....

292

" Advances to men inland,

. . . •

808

" 102 Bags of Pemmican, at Bas de la Riviere,

weight,

8,772 lbs., @ IJ.

438

" 3 Kegs of Grease, weight.

. 210 lbs., @ IS.

" 7 Kegs of Beef, weight, .

. 490 lbs.,@ IS.

" Contents of 103 Packs :

3,185 Beavers, weight 4,334 lbs.,

@ 1 2 J. 6d.

^Ib., . .

. ;^2.708 15 0

265 Wolves, @ 7 J. td.

. each, 99 7 6

277 Deer and Parchments, @ 4

s. td. " 62 6 6

112 Black Bears, @ 65J. .

364 0 0

35 Brown " @ loos.

. " 175 0 0

131 Loup-cerviers, @ qs.

. " 58 19 0

90 Raccoons, @ 2s.

. " 900

loi Foxes, @ Bj-. td.

. " 42 18 6

61 Minks, @ 4J-. .

. " 12 4 0

336 Fishers, @ 6s. .

. " 100 16 0

203 Otters, 20i-. @ .

. " 203 0 0

4S2 Martens, @ 4^. 6d. .

. " 108 9 0

10 Buffalo robes, @ i8j.

. " 900

40 Muskrats, @ is. id.

■ " 234

50 Dressed skins, @ "js. 6d.

. " 18 15 0

13 Carcajoux, @ 5^-.

. " 350

3,977 18 10

By Discount for six months @ 6 c^

ct., . . 115 0 0

Sterling, 3,862 18 10

Halifax Cy.,

4,292

^5.866

CHAPTER V.

THE PEMBINA RIVER POST, CONTINUED : 1802-O3.

^J^EPT. 4th, 1802. We arrived at the Forks of the Assini-
•■^ boine. Delivered to Mr. [Charles Jean Baptiste]
Chaboillez the Upper Red River, or rather the Assiniboine
River, brigade in charge, he having remained inland during
the summer. Mr. J. McDonell [John McDonnell'] goes to

' See his lively, rough-and-ready journal of 1793-97, already cited at date of
Aug. 19th, 1800, note ^^, p. 47. This McDonell or McDonnell is to be distin-
guished from various persons of the identical surname, and also from sundry
McDonalds of a different family — particularly John McDonald of Garth. One
liability of mistake in the identity of persons named John is, that in annals of
the period " John" was often abbreviated " Jo.," as if " Joe " or Joseph ; but
the regular abbreviation of the latter was " Jos." John McDonnell was brother
of Gov. Miles McDonnell, and uncle of W. J. McDonnell, some time vice-
consul at Toronto ; Miles McDonnell was Lord Selkirk's agent and first gov-
ernor of that colony, nicknamed chef des jardiniers ( " head gardener"). John
entered the N. W. Co. as clerk in 1793 or earlier, and arrived at Grant's Fort
Esperance on Qu'Appelle r., Oct. nth, 1793. He became a partner about
1796, and spent some years in the Upper Red River Dept. In 1797-98 he
had the N. W. house on the Assiniboine, i^ m. above the mouth of Mouse r.
— a notable place, as this was the usual point of departure for the Mandans
on the Missouri. Thompson went from and returned to it in 1797-98 ; he gives
its position as lat. 49° 41' 06" N., long. 99° 59' 15" W. Our author is going
to make the same trip in 1806. McDonnell went in to Fort William in 1798,
arriving June 29th. He goes to the Athabasca Dept. in 1802, as Henry tells
us. He signed the Montreal agreement of Nov. 5th, 1804, by his attys. He
arrived at Fort William at 2 p. m. Sunday, Aug. 2d, 1812, on the Invincible.
He sold out in 1815, settled at Point Fortune, died there, and was buried in
the Catholic cemetery of Rigaud, leaving several children. — ^Eneas McDonell
or McDonald, a clerk N. W. Co., Nepigon District, was shot by one Mowat,
clerk H. B. Co., 1810. — Alexander McDonnell was assistant to John McDon-
ald of Garth on the Assiniboine or Qu'Appelle r., winter of 1807-08 ; he
succeeded Miles McDonnell, and was nicknamed by the half-breeds " grass-
hopper governor " {gouverneur sauterelle); he was at one time in charge of Fort
Garry, — Allen McDonnell or Macdonell was at the Mandans in the summer of
1806, when Charles Chaboillez, y««?Vr, Charles McKenzie, Mr. Caldwell, and

ARRANGEMENT OF MEN — RETURN TO PEMBINA. 203

Athabasca. I sent off my canoes for Panbian river, and
proceeded on horseback to Portage la Prairie, taking three
canoes and a boat for that quarter. We found there a great
many Indians camped, expecting our arrival. I remained
three days awaiting the canoes and making out the appoint-
ments, as follows :

Mr. E. Harrison,' to winter here. Mr. L. Dorion, at Bear's
Head river. Mr. J. McDonell [junior], at the Manitoubanee
[Lake Manitoba]. Joseph St. Germain, at Fort Dauphin
Mountain, Prairie en Longue [Long Prairie].

Sept. ijth. Left Portage la Prairie on horseback, came
down to the Grand Passage and crossed the Assiniboine.
i^th. Arrived at Panbian river, and found everything in
order; 60 Saulteurs camped at my fort. The canoes had
arrived some time before I came, and the Indians were
anxiously awaiting me, to taste the " new milk," as they
generally call rum when speaking in a ceremonious style.
Some Assiniboines and Crees had been here with skins and
a quantity of provisions. They appeared well reconciled
to the Saulteurs, and the latter equally so to them. During
the summer three of my Indians died and were buried here,
Chizchickquoi, Ocanashkit, Le Taonsone, and the Cizeau.*

our author, were also there ; we shall hear more of him later on. — J. Macdonell,
junior, appears as of N. W. Co., Upper Red r., 1799, at wages 240 livres : see
next paragraph above, and see beyond, Jan. 4th, 1803, p. 208.

"^ Edward Harrison, clerk N. W. Co. " Mr." Harrison was met by David
Thompson on the Height of Land near Grand Portage July 20th, 1797. " Mr."
Harrison arrived with five canoes on account of Mr. Ogilvie at Grand Portage
June 24th, 1798, and was on Rainy 1. July 22d, 1798. Edward Harrison was
clerking in the Fort Dauphin Dept. in 1799, and at Portage la Prairie in the
summer of 1804.

"Old Durion" is a familiar figure in Lewis and Clark : see ed. of 1893,
pp. 21, 70, 80, 94, 106, 1174, 1207, 1208, and for his son Pierre, pp. 21, 91,
94, 106, 1201. Durion and Dorion are the same name, and Henry's Louis
Dorion might easily be "Old Durion"; but I have no such identification.
Joseph St. Germain is already accounted for : see note ", p. 188.

•^Seethe list, p. 53, for two of these four, No. 6 and No. 22. "The
Cizeau " appears as if it were meant for Ciseau, French for chisel, but may be
same as Sesai, No. 7 of. the list. Chizchickquoi has not been named before
that I can discover. (Copy gives four names, but only three deaths.)

204 ACCIDENTAL MATRICIDE— NEW OUTPOSTS.

Their complaint is cough, spitting, and pains in the breast ;
they linger for a long time, get very lean, and seldom re-
cover. This [pulmonary consumption] is the most common
and fatal disease among them.

Sept. i6th. I gave them their usual autumnal present ;
all were soon intoxicated and more troublesome than be-
fore, as the X. Y. were well established here.

Sept. lyth. A boy about lo years of age was putting his
gun in order to shoot ducks ; his old mother was sitting
opposite in the tent, and observed he was giving himself
trouble to no purpose, as he could not kill a duck. This
was jocular, as she knew he was an excellent little hunter
for his age, and he took it as such. Having loaded and
primed his gun, he aimed it at the old woman's head,
saying, "If I cannot kill a duck I can kill you, if I want
to." The gun went off and blew her brains out. The laci's
gun fell from his hands; when he recollected himself he
declared he had no intention of shooting his mother, and
could not account for the discharge. However, the old
woman was dead ; her brains and hair were sticking to the
tent-pole near which she had been sitting. The lad ap-
peared much afflicted, as he was very fond of her.

I made up the assortment of goods for the outposts,
equipped the summer men, clerks, etc.

Sept. 20th. I sent Mr. Cameron, with his boat and eight
men, to build at Turtle river;' Augustin Cadotte, with
Antoine Payet [or Paget'] and five men, to build at
Pinancewaywining a post for the Crees, Sonnants, and
Stone Indians; Michel Langlois, with a writer \commis,
clerk], goes to Red lake with a band of Saulteurs. The
two latter posts are overland, and require horses to trans-

4 Branch of Red r., Grand Forks Co., N. Dak.: see note ^o, p. 138.

^ Surname thus variant in the annals of the fur-trade. One Payet, N. W.
Co., was interpreter under Harmon, Fort Bird Mountain, on the Assiniboine,
winter of 1801-02. — Antoine Payet or Paget is with Henry as said, 1802-03, ^i^d
appears as clerk and interpreter N. W. Co., English r. 1804. — Joseph Paget
appears as voyageur N. W. Co., Upper Red r., 1804.

NEW CARTS — BLOODSHED — LE BCEUF. 205

port the property. We have enough for all purposes, and
a new sort of cart which facilitates transportation, hauling
home meat, etc. They are about four feet high and
perfectly straight ; the spokes are perpendicular, without
the least bending outward [" dishing "], and only four to
each wheel. These carts carry about five pieces, and are
drawn by one horse.

Sept. 2§th. Indians decamping to follow their traders to
the outposts, and those who intend to remain about this
place are taking debts and preparing, to decamp. My man
out hunting ; buffalo in abundance. 28tJi. One of my
young men, S. Purie \sic — qu : Jean Baptiste St. Pierre?]
shot two cows dead, with one ball.

Oct. §th. Wayquatchewine,* in a drinking match, stabbed
another Indian on the shoulder blade, but the knife was
arrested by the bone, and the wound was not mortal. At
the same time he stabbed a woman in the breast ; it appears
to be an ugly wound, but not very deep, as the knife went
in slanting and made a great gash. /J///. Indians going
off and returning to plague us for liquor. The X.Y. arrived
with two canoes. Duford [note *, p. 187] followed Langlois
to Red Lake river ; high water over the plains prevented
their reaching Red lake. They built at Terre Blanche.'

Nov. 2d. Sent trains for meat. Buffalo in abundance.
I hired Le Boeuf as hunter [note "'% p. 182]. This man is
supposed to be the best among the Saulteurs for buffalo
and other strong, wild animals ; his name is derived from
his superior capacities in hunting the buffalo. He has
often, even in seasons when there is no snow, approached
a herd, and then, when on his firing they ran off, chased
them on foot for a long distance, loading and firing rapidly,

' Name not in the list, p. 53 : compare the first element of the word with Way-
quetoe, No. 26, and the balance with Saskatchewan, name of the river.

■" This French phrase is the origin of modern White Earth as name of the
large Indian reservation in Minnesota, and of a lake and a river in that reserva-
tion, tributary to Wild Rice r. We are left in doubt of 'the exact location of
Langlois' outpost, but it was probably within the limits of the present reserva-
tion, and perhaps on Wild Rice or White Earth r.

2o6 NOT A SURPRISING PROPOSAL.

and keeping in the thick of the herd until he killed as
many as he wished. He came in to-day with a loup-cer-
vier * that he had caught in the plains in a fair chase and
killed with his small ax ; he certainly is an extraordinary
runner. He is a tall man, spare and lean, of a mild disposi-
tion, but wicked when provoked to anger.

Nov. 4th. We crossed Red river on the ice, as this was
an extraordinarily early winter ; however, it did not last
long. On the 6th the river was again clear of ice, and fine
mild weather ensued until the 17th, when it began to snow,
and we once more ran sleighs.

Nov. 24th. A day so dark that I was obliged to use a
candle to write at midday. We had a heavy fall of snow
and hail, with tremendous claps of thunder and lightning,
which continued most of the day, and a strong N. E. wind.
About 18 inches of snow fell in 12 hours. The river
froze again.

Nov. 26th. One of my men, who was much in debt,
offered me his services as long as he could perform any
duty, on condition I would clothe him and allow him to
take a woman he had fallen in love with ; for himself he
asked nothing but dressed leather to make a shirt, capot,
and trousers, all the year round, and a little tobacco. He is
an able-bodied young man. This proposal did not surprise
me, having seen several people as foolish as he is, who
would not hesitate to sign an agreement of perpetual bond-
age on condition of being permitted to have a woman who
struck their fancy.

Nov. 2yth. We cannot stir out doors without snowshoes.
Buffalo are very numerous; I shot three cows. The cold
■was so severe that I froze all one side of my face, which was
soon an entire scab and very painful.

Dec. 2Sth. Buffalo passing in droves within 100 yards of
the fort. My winter stock complete.

8 Canada lynx, Lynx canadensis, of northerly parts of America, differing in
several respects from the common bay lynx or wild cat, L. rufus : see Lewis,
and Clark, ed. 1893, pp. 2ii, 734.

ROUND TRIP TO VARIOUS POSTS. 20/

January ist, i8oj. Plagued with the ceremonies of the
day — men and women drinking and fighting, pell mell.

Jan. /j.th. Leaving the fort in charge of V. St. Germain
and P. [Pierre Bonza?], I took two men and set out on a
journey,' I had a light cariole drawn by four strong

' Memoranda of this journey : Leaving his post at the mouth of Pembina r.
Henry passed through the Pembina mts. or Hair hills, and continued on to the
mouth of Mouse r. This confluence with the Assiniboine is in the middle of
Tp. 8, R. xvi, W. of the princ. merid. ; the S. W. branch of the C. P. Ry.
passes close by ; station Tresbank, and places called Two Rivers andAwene, are
in the same township. The N. W. Co. house was on the N. bank of the As-
siniboine, a mile or more above the junction of Mouse r. ; Thompson calls it
Stone Indian River house and McDonnell's house, 1797-98. It also became
known as Fort Assiniboine and Assiniboine house, the X. Y. house close by
being called Fort Souris. The locality seems to have been a favorite one ; in
the winter of 1794-95, no fewer than five mutually opposing trading-houses were
there. C. J. B. Chaboillez was still there in the winter of 1804-05, when he
corresponded with Lewis and Clark at the Mandans : see L. and C, ed. 1893, p.
187. Dauphin, as a name of various things in this region, dates back to Veren-
drye, 1741. Fort Dauphin mt., or the Dauphin mts., is or are the general and
extensive elevation now called Riding mt., W. of Lake Manitoba. Dau-
phin 1., still so called, lies N. and E. of these mountains, W. of the upper divi-
sion of Lake Manitoba, and directly S. of Lake Winnipegoosis, into which
latter it discharges by Mossy r., and it is near enough to afford a portage of the
same name. Its principal feeders are the rivers called Drifting, Valley, Wilson,
and Vermilion, all from the W., with Ocher and Turtle from the S. Its fig-
ure is quite regular, with a long axis of about 30 m., nearly N. and S., and a
breadth of from ^ to J/^ as much, E. and W. The White r. of the above text
is the one on which we found Henry at the beginning, in 1799 : see note' for
description of this principal tributary of Lake Manitoba. This lake is a very
large body of water in Manitoba, W. of Lake Winnipeg and S. E. of Lake
Winnipegoosis ; the total length is over 100 m., about N. N. W. and S. S. W. ;
the width is little in comparison, and greatest near the lower end. The lake is
sharply divided near the middle by The Narrows into an upper or northern and
a lower or southern section, of approx. equal areas. The N. division is of
extremely irregular figure ; it discharges through Lake St. Martin and by Stur-
geon r. into Lake Winnipeg, and is connected with Lake Winnipegoosis by the
two Water-hen rivers and Water-hen lake ; but a more direct communication is
afforded by Meadow (formerly Savannah) portage, i m., 57 chains, 20 links
long. The S. division is of pyriform figure, with the thick end southward nearly
to lat. 50°, and within some 18 m. of Portage la Prairie on the Assiniboine ;
alt. 810 feet above sea-level. The lake has a history of over 150 years, has
been the site of many different establishments, and still has several Indian
reserves on its shores. It was called Lac des Prairies in 1740, and at various

208 ROUND TRIP TO VARIOUS POSTS.

dogs, and my men each a train with three dogs, for our
baggage and provisions. The snow was very deep, but
in the plains hard enough to bear a man on snowshoes, and
my dogs also. Our first stage was two days to [Augus-
tin] Cadotte's house at Pinancewaywining [in Pembina
mountains] ; thence four days' hard marching to Riviere la ^
Souris [Mouse river], where Mr. [C. J. B.] Chaboillez is
wintering. Thence our course was N. for three days to the
foot of Fort Dauphin mountain, where Joseph St. Germain
had built on a branch of White [Terre Blanche or White
Mud] river. Thence our course was N. E. through a low
marshy country overgrown with willows, reeds, stunted pop-
lars, and lastly epinettes [tamarac, Larix americana] that
had been so tossed down across each other, that it was hard
work to reach Lake Manitouaubanc [Manitoba] in two
days. Here we found Mr. [J.] McDonnell, Junior, starving
with buffalo at his door. Thence we took the ice on our
return, and had terribly stormy weather on the lake. Our
course was about S. for three days to Portage la Prairie, and
thence about S. E. for four hard days to Panbian river,
where we arrived Feb. 3d. Through all this country we
never marched a day without passing herds of buffalo ; even
along the shore of the lake they were very numerous.

On arrival I found some of Mr. Cameron's men from
above ; they have lately been up as far as Goose river, and

■times Prairie 1., Meadow 1., Lake of the Meadows ; also, Assiniboine 1., in var-
ious forms of the term ; also, Swan 1. ; Henry gives Rush 1., beyond ; and Har-
mon calls the N. division Muddy 1., p. 51. The forms of the word Manitoba are
numerous ; Henry or his copyist gives us several, McKenzie maps Manitaubos,
i8or, and I have noted Manito (without the end element), Manitoban, Manetho-
waubane, Manithoaubang, etc. Bell, /. c, has : " The word is said by Pere
Lacombe, an excellent authority on the Cree language, to be derived from
Manitowapaw, supernatural or god-like. Other authorities say it means ' the
place where the spirit dwells,' alluding to the Narrows of Lake Manitoba, where
the water seldom, if ever, freezes over, owing to the presence of springs or its
rapid motion at that place." Henry does not locate McDonnell's house closely;
but as he was three days in reaching Portage la Prairie, it must have been
pretty high up toward the Narrows — perhaps at or near present Manitoba house
and settlement ; present Kinosota in that vicinity.

SEVERAL MURDERS — THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL. 209

tell me the buffalo continue in abundance from this place
to that river, and as far as the eye could reach southward.
What vast numbers there must be !

Feb. 6th. I went to Turtle river ; was gone eight days.
The crust on the snow is so hard as to bear a man without
snowshoes, which makes it pleasant traveling with dogs.

Feb. 15th. Indians drinking at the fort. Tabashaw
stabbed a near relation of his own, Missistaygouine, in six
different places in the breast and sides ; every stab went up
to the handle ; the poor fellow lingered an hour and died.
Water Hen [Poule d'Eau], in fighting with another Indian,
was thrown into the fire and roasted terribly from his neck
to his rump. Both these affairs proceeded from jealousy.
2^th. In the evening we were surprised by hearing three
reports of a gun. Old Fallewine [Vieux Folle Avoine, Old
Wild Rice], soon arrived, and bawled out at a distance, as
soon as he thought we could hear him, that five Indians had
been murdered near Portage la Prairie since I passed there,
relations of himself and some others camped here. This
firing was the usual signal of death in carrying news from
one camp to another. But the Indians totally neglect
their ancient customs; and to what can this degeneracy be
ascribed but to their intercourse with us, particularly as they
are so unfortunate as to have a continual succession of
opposition parties to teach them roguery and destroy both
mind and body with that pernicious article, rum ? What a
different set of people they would be, were there not a drop
of liquor in the country ! If a murder is committed among
the Saulteurs, it is always in a drinking match. We may
truly say that liquor is the root of all evil in the North West.
Great bawling and lamentation went on, and I was troubled
most of the night for liquor to wash away grief.

Feb. 2yth. Little Crane [Petite Grue], and Gros Bras'
[Thick Arms] son, died about the same time. We buried
them in one grave ; the ground was frozen solid for 3^ feet.
I have a net under the ice, and take daily from 5 to 10 fish,
lacaishe, suckers, pike, dor^, etc.

2IO PROGRESS OF THE SEASON, MARCH AND APRIL.

Mar. igth. I saw nightingales, a gull, and a hawk. We
take from 30 to 50 fish daily. 2^th. Heavy rain ; snow all
gone ; wild fowl in abundance. Red river clear of ice. Water
very high. Women making sugar. Very few drowned
buffalo drift down this spring, zyth. The plains are cov-
ered with water from the melting of the snow so suddenly,
and our men suffer much, as they are continually on the
march, looking after Indians in every creek and little river.
The water is commonly knee deep, in some places up to
the middle, and in the morning is usually covered with ice,
which makes it tedious and even dangerous traveling.
Some of our best men lose the use of their legs while still
in the prime of life. ^oth. One of my men undertook to
make a real pair of wheels on the plan of those in Canada ;
he finished them to-day, and they were very well done.
I made him chief wheelwright, and we shall soon have
some capital carts. A man gave a large stout dog a kick in
the side, of which the poor beast died instantly.

Apr. 8th. Plains on fire in every direction. We began
to fear the Assiniboines and Crees might steal our horses ;
they have seemed honest thus far, but they are all horse-
thieves. i^tJi. Men making blockhouses to defend the
fort. We pretend it is on account of the Sioux, but I
apprehend much less danger from them than from the
Saulteurs, who are getting numerous, and at times insolent.
I4.th. Men working at the new ground, and manuring the
garden. Indians arriving daily and drinking the proceeds
of the spring hunt. igth. The men began to demolish
our dwelling-houses, which were built of bad wood, and to
build new ones of oak. The nests of mice we found, and
the swarms of fleas hopping in every direction, were aston-
ishing. 20th. Indians drinking. Le Boeuf quarreled with
his wife and knocked her senseless with a club, which
opened a gash on her head six inches long and down to the
bone. She laid so long before she recovered her senses
that I believed her dead. 2 2d. Mr. [Augustin] Cadotte
arrived from Hair hills en baggage. 2jd. I sent a man

PROGRESS OF THE SEASON, APRIL AND MAY. 211

with a new cart to Portage la Prairie by way of White
Horse plains, which is a little above the Grand Passage on
the Assiniboine. 26th. Fire raging all over the plains,
causing a great smoke ; Indians still drinking. One woman
stabbed another with a knife in four places, but I supposed
none of them dangerous, being all flesh wounds, joth. The
Indians made a barrier in Panbian river to take sturgeon on
their return down the current. Men brought me in a few
outarde eggs. Women were gathering rat-tails to eat. This
root is about the size of a pipe-stem, and from 6 to 10
inches long ; a number of them grow from the same stalk,
in pools and marshes ; they are of a yellowish color, tender
and pleasant to the taste, at all seasons, but particularly in
the spring. They are preferable to the esquebois.

May 1st. W> take plenty of sturgeon. Settled the
men's accounts and hired some of them for three years,
but the Kamanistiquia route deters others from settling
for the present. Our men and the X. Y. fighting and quar-
reling. Augustin Cadotte and his men arrived with their
t^aggage from Pinancewaywining. Indians drinking ; two
of them stabbed, but not dangerously. 5th. I started
Mr. Cadotte with a man for Riviere aux Islets de Bois,
with one of our new carts. This invention is worth four
horses to us, as it would require five horses to carry as
much on their backs as one will drag in each of those
large carts. 6th. Indians arrive daily and drink con-
tinually, yth. I planted potatoes, turnips, carrots, beets,
parsnips, onions, and cabbage-stalks for seeds. Sowed cab-
bage seed. loth. We finished planting eight kegs of po-
tatoes. I2th. My beau-pere desired me to take his second
daughter, saying one woman was not sufficient for a chief,
and that all great men should have a plurality of wives, the
more the better, provided they were all of the same family.
He set a striking example of this himself, as he had for
wives three sisters at that time. Cadotte returned with a
cart-load of sugar and skins ; his wife was delivered of a
daughter. ijth. X. Y. embarked for the Forks. The

212 ROUND TRIP TO PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE.

men's range of new buildings are finished. i6th. Sowing
carrot, onion, and other seeds. Lambert '" making his
gum, which he collected during the winter on Rat river.
i8th. Laverdure" making bellows for his shop. 20th.
Two men in a small canoe arrived from Portage la Prairie,
with two kegs of potatoes, and a cat for les souris [the
mice]. We take plenty of catfish with a night-line of 60
hooks, and 20 to 30 sturgeon a day. Turnips begin to
appear. 21st. Mr. Cameron arrived from Red lake with a
cargo of sugar, 10 days from that place ; he could have
purchased a greater quantity, but had no means of bring-
ing it down. 2jd. Indians making their grand medicine.
Langlois returned with a few packs of beavers and bears.

May 24.th. Set off with four men on horseback for Por-
tage la Prairie, to arrange that post for the summer. We
found much water in the plains ; swam our horses over
Riviere aux Marais, Panbian river, and Riviere aux Gratias,
where we camped ; no wood ; mosquitoes by the millions,
and woodticks. 2Sth. Camped at Riviere aux Islets de
Bois; water up to our horses' bellies. Quiniss [No. 35, p. 54]
traded some skins. 26th. Hired an Assiniboine to guide

'" There were at fewest five Lamberts of the N. W. Co. about this time.
— One Lambert, Fort Chipewyan, 1799. — Antoine Lambert, Lake Winnipeg,
1804.— Etienne Lambert, in the Athabasca Dept., 1804 ; quite likely the one
first said, — " Mr." Lambert was with Henry at Pembina, winter of 1803-04.
— ^Joseph Lambert was with Henry at Pembina in 1807-08, — Jean Baptiste Lam-
bert guided Henry's brigade on the Kaministiquia route in June, 1806, and was
again his guide in 1807-08. The three last said are probably only two persons,
but which one is the Lambert of the above text does not appear. In Masson,
I. p. 401, " Lambert " appears as an alternative name of J. B, Robillard,
guide of the Lower Red River brigade, 1804. As this brigade was Henry's,
and " J. B." almost invariably means Jean Baptiste, the identity seems unques-
tionable.— Pierre Lambert was drowned in a small lake near Lake McLeod, in
the Rocky mts., May, 1812.

" Name in question, whether Laverdure, Laventure, or Lacouture, all of
which occur in N. W. Co. annals about this time.— One Laverdure was in
Athabasca, 1788-89. — Joseph Riquerin, dit Laverdure, is listed in 1804, Fort
des Prairies and English r. — Louis L'Aventure is listed in 1804, Fort Dauphin.
—Paul Laventure is listed in 1804, Fond du Lac— One La Couture was on
Mouse r. in 1794. — Fran9ois Lacouture is listed in 1804, Upper Redr.

ROUND TRIP TO PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE. 21 3

US through the strong woods. Sent two men for bark to
repair canoes ; hired Quiniss to guide them. At twelve
o'clock we were obliged to leave our horses, the road being
too bad, with water, mire, and sticks crossed. I left a man
to watch them. Camped at the Beaver dam ; woodticks, mos-
quitoes, rain, and no covering, zyth. Early on our march ;
water and mud up to the middle, and cross-sticks every
moment tripping us headlong. Our guide killed a young
moose. At ten o'clock we arrived opposite the house ;
water very high. Crossed in a loaded boat that had come
from Alexandria'- on her way to Bas de la Riviere, with two
men and 70 pieces — packs and pemmican. Indians camped
here, and people from the outposts arrived. I made every
arrangement for the summer, and on the 29th set off to re-
trace our steps through the strong woods, water, mud, and
cross-sticks. We came to where we had left our horses and
stopped for the night, tormented almost to death by
insects. ;^oth. Reached Riviere aux Islets de Bois and
remained with the Indians all night ; the men arrived, but
brought no good bark. 31st. Never have I seen so many
mosquitoes as to-day. The weather was calm, and there
was too much water on the plains for our horses to proceed.
We were suffocated and suffered intolerably. Buffalo in
abundance. We picked up a quantity of eggs of different
kinds. Camped at Riviere aux Gratias, without wood.

Wednesday, June ist. At one o'clock we reached Pan-
bian river. We take from 30 to 40 sturgeon a day. The
leaves are at full size, and all vegetables are out of the

^"^ Fort Alexandria, high up on the Assiniboine, 9 m. above one of the H. B.
Co. posts, 2 days from Swan r. , 4 days from Fort Dauphin, on rising ground
near a prairie 10 m. long and 4 to i m. broad, woods at a little distance in the
rear ; the fort 16 x 12 rods, well built, plastered and whitewashed ; strengthened
in 1801, for fear of Fall Indians ; abandoned Apr. i8th, 1805. Harmon arr.
Oct. 23d, 1800 ; McLeod in charge then ; Hugh McGillis arrived Dec. 2ist,
from Red Deer r. ; Harmon wintered there, 1800-01: see his Journal, 1820, p.
59 seq. (Not to be confounded with that Fort Alexandria which was named for
Sir Alexander McKenzie, because built on the spot where he began his retreat
June 23d, 1793 ; nor with Fort Alexander, au Bas de la Riviere.)

214 FROM PEMBINA TO WINNIPEG.

ground ; the men are weeding, hoeing potatoes, and repair-
ing canoes ; Indians drinking, ^.th. I sent off a boat
loaded with pemmican for the Forks. 6th. Transplanted
500 cabbages, yth. Indians all decamped on the E. side.
Twenty Indian canoes arrived from Red lake with sugar
and furs. 8th. The Indians who had decamped returned
to drink ; Lambert beat Le Sieur."' Indians fighting
among themselves and with us also — a very troublesome
drinking match. Made up my packs. Traded for 10 kegs
of sugar and some skins and furs. loth. Finished gum-
ming and repairing the canoes. The summer men came in
with 10 buffalo, which are numerous, near at hand, and very
fat. nth. Sent off six canoes for the Forks.

June ijth. At nine o'clock I embarked on board my
canoe with eight men, leaving M. Langlois in charge of the
fort, with six men. I gave the Indians six kegs of liquor,
and bade them adieu, i^th. At ten o'clock I arrived at the
Forks. Mr. Chaboillez embarked with his brigade. X. Y.
Rocheblave '^ from Fort Dauphin Prairie for pemmican.
Duford drunk. Mr. [E.] Harrison, Delorme [note '^ p. 193],

'^ For Lambert, see note "*, p. 212. The above Le Sieur is probably not the
Toussaint Le Sieur of note", p. 35, who built Fort Alexander in 1792, but
another of the same full name, listed as a clerk of the N. W. Co. on Lower Red
r. in 1804; Henry speaks of this one beyond, Oct., 1804. — Calixte Lesieur
appears as voyageur N. W. Co., Lake Winnipeg, 1804.

" That is, Monsieur Pierre de Rocheblave, then a bourgeois of the X. Y.
Co., who became a personage later on. He was nephew of Philippe de Roche-
blave, who fought on the Monongahela near Fort Duquesne, July 9th, 1755.
He entered the N. W. Co. early, became a partner in the X. Y. Co. in 1801,
and went to superintend the Athabasca Dept. He arrived at McLeod's
fort. Peace r., Oct. 7th, 1803, with Mr. Leith, also of the X. Y. ; their clerks
were Chatellain and Lamotte. Rocheblave signed the Montreal agreement of
Nov. 5th, 1804, byhisattys., and replaced the elder Chaboillez in the Dept.
of the Assiniboine in 1805. He arrived at Fort William, 2 p. m. Sunday,
Aug. 2d, 1812, on the Invincible, and in 1817 was sent there to procure the
arrest of Lord Selkirk. After his retirement he became a member of the
Legislative Assembly of Montreal, and subsequently of the Legislative and
Executive Councils of Lower Canada and Commissioner of Parishes. Mrs.
Rocheblave had been Miss Elmire Bouthiller. Of two daughters, one became
Mrs. Captain Willoughby.

FROM WINNIPEG TO BAS DE LA RIVIERE. 215

and Veaudrie [Toussaint Vaudry ""] started for Portage la
Prairie, to summer there. i6th. Gave out baggages and
sent off the canoes and boats. At ten I embarked, passed
them, and camped at the entrance of Red river, jyth.
Stopped by the strong N. W. wind and rain. My brigade
overtook me. i8th. The wind continued ; examined and
dried the packs. Portage la Prairie pemmican and packs
rotten, through the carelessness of the master, igth. Wind
continued ; embarked and worked against it all day ; at sun-
set I arrived at Bas de la Riviere. 20th. I remained await-
ing the canoes from Athabasca river, Fort des Prairies, Lake
Winipic, and Upper Red river ; my brigade went ahead.

S7inday, June 21st. We embarked at the Gallois in six
light canoes, manned by 15 men. We were: from Atha-
basca river, Mr. McLain ; '* Fort des Prairies, Mr. [John]
McDonnell; Swan river, Mr. McGillis"; Upper Red river,

'* No question of identity. The name occurs in many forms in the Henry
MSS. — Vaudry, Veaudry, Vaudrie, Veaudrie, and in any case with n for u by
scribe's error ; Thompson calls him Vaudril. Toussaint Vaudry was a well-
known character, who had been 30 years in the Northwest in 1818, when he was
at Toronto as a witness in the Semple case. He went with Thompson to the
Mandans in 1797-98, and with Henry on the same journey in 1806. We shall
hear more of him when we come to that part of Henry's journal.

'® John McLain, a clerk of the N. W. Co., was in charge of Fort de la Montee,
on the Saskatchewan, in June, 1814.

" There were at least three persons of this name : A. McGillis, full name
unknown ; Hugh McGillis ; and Donald McGillis. The one here in mention was
not Donald (who is the " M'Gilles" of Irving's Astoria, and of whom we shall
hear more when Henry is on the Columbia). But he may have been either A.
or Hugh, both of whom were at Fort Dauphin and in that region for some years
before and after 1800, and have more than once been confused. The proof that
they were two persons appears in Henry Feb. 17th, 1806, when A. McGillis
reaches Pembina from Fort Dauphin, Hugh McGillis being known to have been
at Leech 1. at that date. The certain memoranda I have of A. McGillis are
only the one just said, and one in Thompson's MS. of July 9th, 1806, at which
date " Mr. McGillis of Fort Dauphin" was at Lac la Croix on the new Kamin-
istiquia route. — Hugh McGillis was in the Fort Dauphin Dept. in 1799 I ^^ l^ft
Encampment isl. in Lake Winnipegoosis Sept., 1800. en route to winter, 1800-01,
at the N. W. Co. house on that Red Deer r. which falls into the lake said ;
wintered 1802-03 at Fort Alexandria, where he arr. Oct. 2ist, 1802 ; returned
Oct. 19th, 1803, from Grand Portage to Fort Alexandria, and wintered there

2l6 EN ROUTE FOR KAMINISTIQUIA.

Mr. Cameron ; Lake Winipic, Mr. McKenzie '* ; Lower Red
river, myself. We had but a scanty stock of provisions, and
not one pack or package. Some had neither tent nor
blanket. Everything went over the portages at one trip.
Canoes and all at full trot ; embarked all hands helter-skel-

1803-04 ; left Apr. 29th, 1804, for Kaministiquia. He signed the Montreal
agreement of Nov. 5th, 1804, by his attys. He wintered, 1805-06, at Leech 1.:
see Pike, ed. 1895, pp. 154, 155, 171, 172, 173, 174, 180, 241, 247, 250,
254, 274. — Memoranda applicable either to A. or H. McGillis are : " Mr."
McGillis, clerk N. W. Co. for Red Deer r., left Grand Portage with David
Thompson at 9 a. m. Wednesday, Aug. gth, 1797. " Mr." McGillis was at
Winnipeg House, July 31st, 1798. "Mr." McGillis' Indian father-in-law was
met on Lake Winnipeg, Aug. 23d, 1804. " Mr." McGillis arrived at Fort Wil-
liam on the Invincible at 2 p. m. Sunday, Aug. 2d, 18 12.

'^ It is always difidcult, and as a rule impossible, to identify a Mackenzie or
McKenzie whose full name is not given, and in the present case I am entirely in
the dark, I speak elsewhere of Sir Alexander McKenzie, the most command-
ing figure in all these annals ; of his cousin, Hon. Roderic McKenzie, and of
another Roderic McKenzie ; of Charles McKenzie, whom we shall find at the
Mandans with Henry in 1806 ; of Donald McKenzie, the overland Astorian,
whom we shall find on the Columbia with Henry ; and of many others. But I
find no better place than this to record some memoranda of Daniel McKenzie
and James McKenzie, without raising any question of the pertinence of these
names in the present connection.

Daniel McKenzie of the N. W. Co. is named by Thompson at Grand Port-
age, July 22d, 1797, as agent for Fort des Prairies and Red Deer r. He was a
proprietor of the company in 1799 in the Upper Fort des Prairies and Rocky
Mourttain Depts. He arrived at Fort George on the Saskatchewan Sept. 22d,
1799, from Turtle r., and left for Fort Augustus Sept. 25th.; with him were
Messrs. Stuart and King. He was on the Kaministiquia route in Aug., 1804,
and he signed the Montreal agreement of Nov. 5th, 1804, by his attys. — " D."
McKenzie was held by ice on Lac la Rouge, with 34 packs, June 14th, 1812, and
this was not Donald McKenzie, who was then on the Columbia.

James McKenzie, brother of Hon. Roderic McKenzie, entered the N. W.
Co. in 1794. He arrived at Grand Portage from Athabasca July 2d, 1798, and
left for Athabasca July loth, 1798. There he had charge of Fort Chipewyan,
winter of 1799-1800, with W. F. Wentzel : see his Journal, pub. 1890 in Mas-
son, II. pp. 371-99. He became a partner of the N. W. Co. in 1802, and
settled at Quebec in charge of the King's Posts leased by the company : see his
account of them in Masson, /. c, pp. 401-54. He signed the Montreal agree-
ment of Nov. 5th, 1804, by his attys. He died at Quebec in 1849, leaving two
sons and two daughters. One of the former, Keith McKenzie, of the H. B.
Co., was living in 1889 ; one of the daughters became Mrs. Patrick, and the
other was in 1889 widow of Lt. Col. McDougall of Kingston (Masson, I. p. 56).

THE KAMINISTIQUIA ROUTE. 21 7

ter, pushed off, and all paddled as if chased by an enemy.
The Lake Winipic canoe was a dull vessel ; threw her away
at Lac du Bonnet and embarked her men in the five others.
Arrived at Lac la Pluie early on the 26th. We had been
stopped by the wind in Lac des Bois. 2'jth. I procured a
guide to take our brigade by the Kamanistiquia road.'*

" Thus far en route from Lake Winnipeg to Fort William on Lake Superior,
Henry has retraced the regular route up Winnipeg r., through Lake of the
Woods, up Rainy r., through Rainy 1. and so on to Lac la Croix : see back, p. 17,
note '^ and following. In 1803 Fort William was just established, and a " new
route " began to be followed from Lac la Croix to Kaministiquia. Henry takes
this one, which we will proceed to follow to his destination, though he gives us
hardly any data for so doing. But Book No. 15, forming Vol. vii. of the pre-
cious Thompson MSS., contains A Journey from Kaministiquia to the West End
of Lac la Croix, July 25th to Aug. gth, 1804, together with 12 folios of traverse-
tables of the same route, thus outlining all its main features. With whatever
deviation in detail, the Kaministiquia route at the beginning of this century cor-
responds in most of its extent to the present Dawson route as a practicable
waterway, with various portages, from Lac la Croix to Thunder bay of Lkke
Superior. The general trend is E. N. E. up past Lac des Mille Lacs to the
Height of Land between Hudsonian and Laurentian waters, then S. S. E.
down Kaministiquia r.

Thus, the voyageur in Lac la Croix passed the great Coleman isl. on his right
and went on E. to the N. E. extension of the lake, past the mouth of Wild Goose
r., left, and so entered Riviere Maligne (present Malign or Sturgeon r.), and was
thus fairly en route by the " new" track. Bell isl. and Lou isl. lie at the en-
trance of Sturgeon r. ; at the latter was a chute, now dammed, causing the Island
portage. Sturgeon r. soon dilates into Tanner's 1., the head of which receives
the discharge of Pooh Bah 1. through a river of the same elegant name, but
alongside this the main course of Sturgeon r., more northerly, continues ; Malign
chute, portage, and present dam mark this section of the river, which flows
from the large Sturgeon 1., on an island in which is Maclaren's trading-house.
Sturgeon narrows succeeds the lake, and at the head of this narrow section.
Sturgeon r. is left off to the right, to pursue its way until it connects, through a
maze of lakes, with Lake Saganaga, on the route we have traced before : see
note'*, p. 12. The whole area thus inclosed is now called Hunter's isl., per-
haps 50 m. long. But turning N, from the head of Sturgeon narrows the route
passes through a body of water which receives Pickerel r., and then by way of
Deux Rivieres or Two Rivers portage into Pine Portage or Dore 1. This con-
nects by Pine portage, where the H. B. Co. house stands, with Pickerel 1., the
largest one on the route thus far. This is traversed its whole length to its
head, where it receives French r., discharging from French 1. Passing this small
lake, the track takes what the voyageurs called Portage Fran9ais, 131 chains
long, and is thus conducted to a stream which comes from the present Lake

2l8 THE KAMINISTIQUIA ROUTE.

28tJi. Early we embarked in four canoes, with Muffle
d'Orignal [Moose Muzzle] as our guide (Pisaunegawpe). In
Lac la Croix, at Pointe du Mai we struck away from the
Grand Portage route, steering an E. course to the left just
when we had overtaken an X. Y. brigade steering on the old
track to Grand Portage, where they continue to hold their
general rendezvous. The water was remarkably high in

Windigoostigwan, a long, narrow body of water which conducts directly into
Lac des Mille Lacs. This is the largest one on the whole route : compare its
namesake in Minnesota, bearing a similar relation to the many lesser ones about
itself. Among its feeders is one which falls in at its head ; this is Savanna
or Meadow r., some tributaries of which are gathered from the Height of
Land. The route goes up Savanna r. and takes one of these tributaries,
BOW crossed by the G. P. Ry. The traverse of the highlands includes a small
lake and two portages which Thompson calls Swampy and Meadow, and gives
as respectively 2,659 and 4,566 yards, N. 50° E. and N. 60° E. (reversing his
courses). Dawson's map marks four portages, called Savanne, Middle, Prairie,
and 4 L'Eau Froide. The voyageur was thus brought to Dog r., of the Lake
Superior watershed : and Dog r. is the principal tributary of the Kaministiquia.
In fact, Thompson calls it all Dog r. down to Fort William ; but the name
now seems to be restricted to the upper reach of the Kaministiquia r., above
Dog 1. Dog river is descended about S. E. to the lake said, the traverse of
which is S. 10 m. Continuing down present Kaministiquia r., the route presents
Dog portage, given by Thompson as 3,181 yards, and many others, as what he
calls Wandering portage, 848 yards. Mountain portage, and Lazy portage
(Portage Paresseux of the voyageurs). Dawson names Dog Portage, Little
Dog Portage, Mokaman or Mokoman falls, Island falls. Portage Ecarte, and
Kababeka or Kakabeka falls, besides numerous rapids, before coming to Lazy
portage (lettered " Parisseux Rapid ").

It thus appears that Henry's Kaministiquia route was practically identical
with the present Dawson route from Lac la Croix to Lac des Mille Lacs, but
beyond this differed widely. The Dawson route became nearly fixed after cart
roads were cut across various portages. At present a road 41 m. long runs from
Port Arthur to Shebandowan 1., thus avoiding the lower part of the old Kamin-
istiquia route altogether. (See Rep. Expl., etc., by S. J. Dawson, printed by
order of the Legislative Assembly, Toronto, 1859, folio, maps.)

In 1804 an X. Y. house was passed within a mile above Fort William. Before
1800 the route thus sketched was an "old" French waterway, which had been
abandoned and in a measure lost sight of by the English, who used the Pigeon
River route from Grand Portage ; but in 1797 it was tried and reopened by
Roderick McKenzie, with the result that headquarters were soon removed from
Grand Portage to the mouth of the Kaministiquia, and Fort William was
established : Henry's text shows us this place in the building of it.

ARRIVAL AT FORT WILLIAM. 219

the rivers on the new road. Met at Prairie portage J. M.
Bouch^,"" who has built a hut and an oven to bake bread to
sell to the winterers en passant for dressed leather, buffalo
robes, etc. He had a great stock of provisions and other
articles for sale. He dunned us with news from Canada, all
of which we knew better than himself, having met our dis-
patches from Montreal, etc., at Lac la Pluie. Those petty
traders are really a nuisance on the route. At Portage des
Chenes [Oak portage ^'] we found another one, but he was
not so loquacious as Bouch^. We therefore soon got rid
of him by taking wherewith to treat our men of liquor and
provisions.

July ^d. In the afternoon we arrived at our new estab-
lishment of Kamanistiquia." The first objects that struck

'" J. M. Bouche must have been a freeman, to have so stimulated Henry's
fine scorn. The surname is probably originally identical with Boucher, so long
famous in Canadian annals ; but with none of the many Bouchers who appear
in N. W. Co. records have we anything to do in this instance. Of Bouches I
have noted: — Joseph Bouche, N. W. Co., Fort Chipewyan, 1799. — One Bouche
of the X. Y. Co. at Fort George on the Saskatchewan Sept. 15th, 1799, when
Thompson says that " Buche's canoe of the little society" put up there. — One
Bouche of the N. W. Co., 1804, was arranged by Thompson with La Fre-
niere on the Missinipi. — One Bouche (or Boucher), guide and foreman N. W.
Co., was killed with two other persons, 1804, at or near Bois d'Orignal, under
John McDonald of Garth. — One Bouche or Buche was one of three men under
Jules Maurice Quesnel at the Rocky Mountain house when Thompson arr.
there, Oct. nth, 1806 ; he was with Thompson in the Rocky mts. about head-
waters of the Columbia, etc., from May, 1807, to 1810, and very likely is the
the same as — Jean Baptiste Bouche, interpreter N. W. Co., in 1810-11 under
Harmon at Fraser 1. and Stuart 1., British Columbia, said to have taken to wife
the first Tacully or Carrier squaw ever kept by a white man.

^' Compare Gabriel Franchere, orig. ed., p. 267, date of July 14th, 1814 :
" Nous embarquames avant le jour, et arrivames au Portage des Chiens, qui est
long et montueux. Nous trouvames au bas de ce portage, une espece de cabaret
[restaurant] tenu par un nomme Botuher. Nous regalames nos gens d'un
peu d'eau-de-vie, et mangeames des saucissons detestables, tant ils etaient
sales." No doubt this was Henry's obnoxious freeman, still in business on
the Kaministiquia route.

''■'^ The long name of the short river whose mouth we have reached has
fluctuated to some extent, but never irrecognizably since we have heard of it —
say 1678, date of the first establishment there, made by D. G. Duluth. It has
settled as Kaministiquia, with some traces still of Kamanistiquia, the form

220 KAMINISTIQUIA RIVER — FORT WILLIAM.

US were two vessels lying with their sides against the bank,

Henry uses. Senator Masson prefers Kaministikia, and I observe Kaministi-
qua and Kaministiqa on the latest U. S. chart of Lake Superior. The initial k
varies to c and g, the q to g, and there were permutations in most of the
vowels. Thus, Gamanestigouya appears in Verendrye's journal, 1738-39 ; we
hear from the beginning of Camenistiquoia or Three Rivers, in allusion to the
three channels by which the river debouches ; Kaministi Kweya is said by
Pettitot to mean Wide r. ; Caministiquia is Sir A. McKenzie's form ; Harmon
prints Kaminitiquia ; Kamanaitiquoya appears in Malhiot ; Kamanatekwoya
or river of Fort William is in Keating, p. 135. I have found Wandering r.
once ; and Dog r. was common in Henry's, Thompson's, and Harmon's
time, as above noted. The river discharges from the W. into Thunder bay
of Lake Superior between lat. 49® 20' and 49^ 20' 30" N., in long. 89°
20' 30" W., by three channels, which form a triangular delta including
two islands. The upper or N. one of these is the main mouth, 23^ m.
from that of the lower or Big fork ; the middle or Little fork empties
about midway between the other two. On the S. side, some 3 m. from
the first forking, McKay's mt. rises 1,000 ft. above the bay, and the last
rapids in the river are about the same distance (direct) above the point
of this hill. The main entrance to the river was dredged to a depth of
II ft., with a width of lOO ft., in 1875. On the N. two rivulets make into the
bay, at distances of about i and 2 m. respectively; further N., 2^ or 3 m.
from P'ort William, is Prince Arthur's Idg., to which steamboats come. Off the
delta 5 m. is the little group of Welcome isls. ; and at nearly twice that dis-
tance further is the bold point of Thunder cape, which delimits the bay 14 m.
S. E. from Prince Arthur's Idg. ; the steamboat channel rounds the cape between
itself and Pie isl. The ground about the fort is low and swampy, in its natural
state supporting a heavy growth of mixed woods of spruce, larch, fir, poplar,
birch, and white cedar, with white pine and maple on McKay's mt. Fort
William stood and stands on the N. bank of the N. or main channel, a mile up.
Thompson's observations yielded for the position a mean of lat. 48° 23' 42" N.,
long. 89° 24' 15" W. The H. B. Co. post was built across the river, at Pointe
de Meuron. After Duluth's original post had been abandoned, there was noth-
ing until La Noue rebuilt it, or built on the same site, in 171 7. a post which
had been abandoned and long forgotten by the time of the change from the
French regime to English rule, 1763. I find the date of founding of Fort
William to vary, with different authorities, from 1 801 to 1807 ; the date usually
assigned is 1803, memorable alike to England, France, Spain, and the United
States of America. The cloud is easily accounted for, if not entirely dispelled,
by the records we possess. The movement from Grand Portage to Kaministi-
quia appears to have begun in 1801; and building went on in 1802 and 1803,
as we see by Henry, but was not expected to be completed till 1804. More-
over, the fort did not receive its present name till 1807, when it was so called
in honor of William Macgillivray, then one of the personages of the N. W.
Co. Thus, Harmon simply calls it, in 1805, the "New Fort," at which he

FORT WILLIAM — HENRY'S RETURNS.

221

the Invincible and the Otter," which were unloading their
cargoes.

RETURNS OF LOWER RED RIVER DEPARTMENT, 1802-O3.'*

Nine Canoes, N. W. Co.

1801 Beavers, weight, 2,825 lbs

152 Black Bears

42 Brown Bears

I Grizzly Bear

801 Wolves

190 Foxes

24 Kitts

127 Raccoons

496 Fishers

172 Otters

722 Martens

122 Minks

10 Wolverenes

194 Lynxes

139 Dressed Moose and Biches

129 Shaved and Parchment Skins

144 Muskrats

4 Buffalo Robes

9 Badgers

94 Packs of 90 lbs. each ,

95 Bags of Pemmican of 90 lbs. each

10 Kegs of Sugar

12 Kegs of Grease ,

w>-.c
" a

550
30

104
23

25
69

30
9

39
4

18
46

337
28

114
61

63
98

34
26

13
62

I
54

3
10
12

I
2

13
I

•zx
3

.30
39

364
78
23
14

III

23
10

26
27

j2
O.

. t) V

I/) 3
vi-4

150

60
19
47

254
7

8
15
13

31
I

c a
o

116

4
5

243

c Ccii

° G^

13 5

229
30

I
188

17
105

332

3
3

notes there were 1,000 laboring men in July of that year. For the condition
of things in 1814, see for example Franchere, orig. F. ed. p. 267 ; E. trans.,
p. 359. When Long was there, Sept., 1823, it was becoming ruinous; Mr.
Roderic McKenzie was superintendent, and Mr. Henry (qu.: Robert or
William?) was with him : so Keating, II. 1824, p. 174. The romance of this
great rendezvous of the Northmen is celebrated in Irving's Astoria, with that
fine penman's wonted felicity.

23 We hear of the Invincible till lost Nov. 13, 1816. The Sloop Otter, Capt.
Bennett, was plying on Lake Superior in 1798.

'^* Of the persons named in this list, those on a line with Henry had charge
of the different outposts in his department : Edward Harrison, John McDon-
nell, junior, Louis Dorion, Joseph St. Germain, Augustin Cadotte, Michel
Langlois, John Cameron. The names in the next line are those of the clerks
or assistants in four instances. — We have already noted John Crebassa and
J. Duford. — Lajeunesse is in due form ; but the name does not occur in Masson,
and I have no mem. of any such person, excepting one Lajeunesse whom

222 FORT WILLIAM — THE CAMPBELLS.

We found great improvements had been made for
one winter — fort, store, shop, etc., built, but not enough
dwelhng houses. Only one range was erected, and that not
complete ; here were the mess room and apartments for the
agents from Montreal, with a temporary kitchen adjoining.
We were obliged to erect our tents during our stay, which
seldom exceeded 20 days. Building was going on briskly
in every corner of the fort; brick kilns had been erected
and were turning out many bricks, so that we shall have

Thompson met on the Saskatchewan July 3d, 18 10, between Carp r. and the
mouth of Bow r. , in a small canoe with one Duplessier, from Cumberland
House. — The Campbells are naturally numerous, considering the marked Scotch
element in the N. W. Co. ; but few of them are easily identifiable. The most
prominent name is John Duncan Campbell, a partner of the company, in 1799
in the Upper Fort des Prairies and Rocky Mountain Dept.;' signer of the
Montreal agreement of Nov. 5th, 1804, by his attys. ; in 1819 captured with
Benjamin Frobisher, Angus Shaw, John G. McTavish, and some others, im-
prisoned for some months and released. — From him is to be distinguished a
Duncan Campbell, listed as clerk and interpreter N. W. Co., English r., after
the fusion of 1804. He thus comes close to Henry's man in grade and date, if
not the same individual. — Colin or Collin Campbell of the N. W. Co. stands
out well for identity ; he wintered 1812-13 at Fort Dunvegan on Peace r., and
was in temporary charge of it during John Macgillivray's absence in Feb. and
Mar. — Mr. J. Campbell was on the Kaministiquia route in July, 1804. — " Mr."
Campbell was at New Cumberland House June 23d, 1797. " Mr." Campbell
wintered in the Athabasca country 1 799-1 800. " Mr." Campbell of the N. W.
Co. was on Rapid r. late in 1804. "Mr." Campbell was on Lake Winni-
peg in June, 1806. " Mr." Campbell left Rainy Lake House Aug. 3d, 1808,
for the interior. " Mr." Campbell was at Fort Isle a la Crosse in June,
1812, with Mr. Black. " Mr." Campbell left Fort William for his winter
quarters Aug. 5th, 1812, with Mr. Thomson (not David Thompson). Some
of the foregoing items unquestionably mean Colin Campbell, and others may
relate to John Duncan Campbell. — One Campbell, free trader on Minnesota r.
with J. B. Faribault, 1804 and later, was soon killed at mouth of St. Mary's
r., near Drummond isL, in a duel with one Crawford, brother of one Crawford
of the N. W. Co. This case is a typical illustration of the difficulty experienced
in sifting fur-trade annals for the identification of personal names, so seldom are
they given in full. One clew, good as far as it goes, is found in the fact that
persons of the grade of clerk and upward were "gentlemen," generally " mis-
tered" in speaking and writing, all the others being " men," to whom no form
of address or title was applicable, as a rule. Scotch names are generally of the
highest class, but often also attach to half-breeds ; amount of wages is some-
times a useful indication.

FORT WILLIAM — RODERIC M'KENZIE. 223

everything complete and in good order before our arrival
next year. Mr. R. McKenzie" has charge during the
absence of the agents.

^^ Implying Roderic McKenzie, of which identical name were two persons.
One Roderick McKenzie was still a clerk of the N. W. Co. after the fusion of
1804, in the Nepigon district, and wintered 1807-08 at Fort Duncan, on Lake
Nepigon. The early life of the other may be outlined as follows :

Not only among the many McKenzies or Mackenzies who were in the fur-
trade, but also among all the persons of the N. W. Co. and other organizations
apart from the H. B. Co., the name of Roderic or Roderick stands out with a
prominence second only to that of his famous cousin, Sir Alexander. He came
from Scotland to Canada in 1 784, and was apprenticed for three years as clerk
to Gregory, McTavish & Co. He left St. Anne for Grand Portage in the
summer of 1785, and was again at the latter place in the summer of 1786. He
went with his cousin to English r. this year, and is found at Lac des Serpents,
Isle a la Crosse, etc., 17S6-87. He built old Fort Chipewyan on Lake Atha-
basca, in the fall of 1788 ; came in, 1789 ; returned to winter there 1789-90,
and remained in charge of that post when Sir Alexander left it en route to the
Pacific, Oct. loth, 1792. He appears to have stayed out continuously for eight
years of which I have made no memoranda ; for he was in Canada in 1 797,
" after a long absence." Thompson met him on the Missinipi June 13th, 1797,
en route for Grand Portage, and this was the year in which he, first of the North-
men, reached that place from Lac la Croix by the " new" (old French) Kam-
inistiquia route, thus re-opening a long-abandoned and half-forgotten way.
Thompson, July 22d, 1797, speaks of him as at Grand Portage that day, and
names him as agent of the N. W. Co. "for Montreal" (McTavish, Frobisher
& Co.). He came to Grand Portage again July ist, 1798, left July loth for the
Athabasca region, was found about Isle a la Crosse that fall, and wintered there
1798-99. He came in again in 1799, the year so critical in the history of
the N. W. Co., when the rivalry between Sir Alexander Mackenzie and
Simon McTavish culminated in the withdrawal of the former, amidst angry
dissensions at Grand Portage between the wintering bourgeois and the agents
of the company, during the summer of 1799 ; Roderic took Sir Alexander's
place, and thus became an agent : see Masson, I. p. 72. Sir Alexander went
to England, published his work, received his title, and returned in 1801, to
become the head of the "New N. W. Co.," also known as " Sir Alexander
Mackenzie & Co.," but still better as the "X. Y. Co.," and also styled
in derision the " Little Company" (whence probably the nickname " Potties,"
by Indian conniption of F. Les Petits, "Little Ones"). Roderic went to
Montreal soon, for he was en route thence to Grand Portage in May, 1800.
He is found on the Kaministiquia route in Aug., 1804, and his name appears
among the signatures of the Montreal agreement of Nov. 5th, 1804, which
finished the X. Y. Co. by absorption into the N. W. Co. See further. Remi-
niscences of Hon. Roderic McKenzie, etc., extending to 1829, in Masson, I.
pp. 7-66, pub, 1889.

CHAPTER VI.

THE PEMBINA RIVER POST, CONTINUED: 1803-O4.

jpRIDAY, July 29th, 1803. I left Kamanistiquia with
Jl my brigade of eight canoes, 26 pieces per canoe, two
less than by the Grand Portage route.

Au^. 2^th. Arrived at Lac la Pluie.

Sept. 20th. After a long tedious passage we arrived at
the Forks [Winnipeg]. We were 10 days in getting through
Lake Winipic, as it blew a gale. Our stock of corn gave
out at Portage de I'lsle [on Winnipeg river], and the men
■#ere starving, with nothing to eat but a little flour; here
we found abundance of dried meat. I sent some Indians
hunting moose, red deer, and bear, of which there is an
abundance. Others were drinking ; Mithanasconce was so
troublesome that we were obliged to tie him with ropes to
prevent his doing mischief. He was stabbed in the back
in three different places about a month ago. His wounds
were still open, and had an ugly appearance ; in his strug-
gling to get loose they burst out afresh and bled a great
deal. We had much trouble to stop the blood, as the
fellow was insensible to pain or danger ; his only aim was
to bite us. We had some narrow escapes, until we secured
his mouth, and then he fell asleep.

Sept. 22d. Men repairing canoes and boats, others fishing ;
caught some catfish that weighed upward of 20 pounds. I
sent a hunter to Petite Montagne de Roche, who returned
with the meat of four cows. The leaves are nearly all
fallen, and wild fowl returning southward. Made out the
assortment of goods for Portage la Prairie and Lake Mani-
thoubane, gave every necessary direction concerning that
quarter to Mr. Harrison, and sent them off.

224

THE RETURN TO PEMBINA. 22$

Sept. 2'jth. I made up an assortment of goods for this
place, where I leave Mr. [Louis] Dorion, and another for
Riviere aux Morts, where I send Mr. T. Veiandre [Toussaint
Vaudry]. Having settled these matters in a manner to
avoid going to Portage la Prairie. this fall as usual, I
started my canoes for Panbian river, and proceeded by
land on horseback, with three men. zytJi {bis\. Early in
the morning we arrived ; myself very unwell — could scarcely
keep my saddle. Found my new house nearly finished.
Indians camped at the fort, awaiting my arrival — 60 men.
Buffalo in abundance. 28th. I gave the Indians their usual
presents of liquor and tobacco, equipped summer men, and
made out assortments for the outposts, joth. Indian
women and children stealing potatoes; obliged to set a
watch day and night.

Oct. 1st. Mr. Cameron off with a boat in pursuit of the
X. Y. Ducharme up the river. Fire in the plains in every
direction. Indians decamping, but many of them sick,
with bad coughs. It seems to be a very prevalent disease
at this time ; all ages and sexes are attacked. As for
myself I can hardly crawl about to attend to my affairs,
so much indisposed am I by that disorder. We set a
night-line for catfish, of which we take 40 a day; they are
excellent eating. The fleas plague us very much, and
prevent sleep ; the great number of dogs at the fort
increases these troublesome vermin.

Oct.jd. Mr. Langlois and others started for the Hair
hills. This caravan demands notice, to show the vast dif-
ference it makes in a place where horses are introduced.
It is true they are useful animals, but if there were not one
in all the North West, we should have less trouble and
expense. Our men would neither be so burdened with
families, nor so indolent and insolent as they are, and the
natives in general would be more honest and industrious.
Let an impartial eye look into the affair, to discover whence
originates the unbounded extravagance of our meadow
gentry, both white and native, and horses will be found one

226 A PICTURESQUE PROCESSION.

of the principal causes. Let us view the bustle and noise
which attended the transportation of five pieces of goods to
a place where the houses were built in 1801-02. The men
were up at break of day and their horses tackled long before
sunrise ; but they weri^ not ready to move before ten o'clock,
when I had the curiosity to climb on top of my house to
watch their motions and observe their order of march.

Antoine Payet, guide and second in command, leads the
van, with a cart drawn by two horses and loaded with his
private baggage, cassetetes,' bags, kettles, and mashque-
minctes [?]. Madame Payet follows the cart with a child a
year old on her back, very merry, Charles Bottineau,' with
two horses and a cart loaded with lyi packs, his own bag-
gage, and two young children with kettles and other trash
hanging on to it. Madame Bottineau with a squalling infant
on her back, scolding and tossing it about. Joseph Dubord
goes on foot, with his long pipe-stem and calumet in his
hand ; Madame Dubord follows on foot, carrying his tobacco
pouch with a broad bead tail. Antoine Thellier,' with a cart
and two horses, loaded with i>^ packs of goods and Dubois'
baggage. Antoine La Pointe ' with another cart and
horses, loaded with two pieces of goods and with baggage
belonging to Brisebois, Jasmin, and Pouliot, and a kettle
hung on each side. Auguste Brisebois ^ follows with only

> Cassefete is good French for tomahawk, literally something to break a head
with, and may be intended here ; copy so reads plainly. But F. cassette, cas-
ket, was the usual word with the voyageurs for any sort of a box in which they
carried small articles, as distinguished from the large packs, sacks, bales, or
other "pieces" of which most of their loads consisted. The curious word
which follows kettles I cannot make out. For Payet or Paget, see note ^, p. 204.

^Name reappearing in MS. and print as Battineau, Battimeau, and Bottureau.
Charles is listed as voyageur N. W. Co., Lower Red r., 1804, and we shall find
him with Henry to 1808.

^ Plainly so in copy : no other record noted.

* Antoine Lapointe, voyageur N. \V. Co., remains with Henry to 1808 ; he
had been about 15 years in this country in Oct., 1818, when he was in Toronto
as a witness in the Semple case. — Joseph Lapointe is listed voyageur N. W.
Co., Fort Dauphin, 1804. — Michel Lapointe, listed, Nepigon, 1804.

* Auguste Brisebois appears in print as Angus, evidently by mistaking the

henry's pilgrims' progress. 227

his gun on his shoulder and a fresh-hghted pipe in his
mouth. Michel Jasmin^ goes next, like Brisebois, with gun
and pipe puffing out clouds of smoke. Nicolas Pouliot,
the greatest smoker in the North West, has nothing but
pipe and pouch. Those three fellows, having taken a
farewell dram and lighted fresh pipes, go on brisk and
merry, playing numerous pranks. Domin Livernois,' with a
young mare, the property of Mr. Langlois, loaded with
weeds for smoking, an old worsted bag (madame's prop-
erty), some squashes and potatoes, a small keg of fresh
water, and two young whelps howling. Next goes Liv-
ernois' young horse, drawing a travaille loaded with his
baggage and a large worsted mashguemcate [?] belonging
to Madame Langlois. Next appears Madame [John] Cam-
eron's mare, kicking, rearing, and snorting, hauling a travaille
loaded with a bag of flour, cabbages, turnips, onions, a
small keg of water, and a large kettle of broth. Michel
Langlois, who is master of the band, now comes on leading
a horse that draws a travaille nicely covered with a new
painted tent, under which his daughter and Mrs. Cameron
lie at full length, very sick ; this covering or canopy has a
pretty effect in the caravan, and appears at a great distance
in the plains. Madame Langlois brings up the rear of the
human beings, following the travaille with a slow step and
melancholy air, attending to the wants of her daughter,
who, notwithstanding her sickness, can find no other expres-
sions of gratitude to her parents than by calling them dogs,
fools, beasts, etc. The rear guard consists of a long train
of 20 dogs, some for sleighs, some for game, and others of
no use whatever, except to snarl and destroy meat. The

abbreviation "Aug." for " Ang." He remains with Henry to 1808. — Joseph
Brisebois was guide N. W. Co., Upper Red r., 1804. — Michel Brisebois, one
of the oldest inhabitants of Prairie du Chien, was made a judge by Lewis Cass,
May I2th, 1819: died 1839.

* Michel Jasmin, sometimes Jesmin, voyageur N. W. Co. : no record be-
yond 1804.

' Dominic or Dominique Livernois : no further record.

228 PRAIRIE FIRE — AGRICULTURAL REPORT.

total forms a procession nearly a mile long, and appears
like a large band of Assiniboines.

Oct. ph. Fire is raging at every point of the compass ;
thick clouds of smoke nearly deprive us of the sight of the
sun, and at night the view from the top of my house is aw-
ful indeed. In every direction are flames, some leaping to
a prodigious height as the fire rushes through willows and
long grass, or low places covered with reeds and rushes.
We apprehended no danger, as the fire had already passed
near the fort. On the 6th two men returned with the
body of Mrs. Cameron, who died yesterday at the Grand
Passage, gth. We buried the corpse. 12th. We had
frost. I took up my quarters in my new house, which
was finished. Collected garden seeds, of which I have a
great quantity.

Oct. i6th. Hesse ' and his woman arrived in a small
canoe from Red lake. ijtJi. Snow. I took my vege-
tables up — 300 large heads of cabbage, 8 bushels of carrots,
16 bushels of onions, 10 bushels of turnips, some beets,
parsnips, etc. 20th. I took in my potatoes — 420 bushels,
the produce of 7 bushels, exclusive of the quantity we have
roasted since our arrival, and what the Indians have stolen,
which must be at least 200 bushels more. I measured an
onion, 22 inches in circumference; a carrot, 18 inches long,
and, at the thick end, 14 inches in circumference ; a turnip
with its leaves weighed 25 pounds, and the leaves alone
weighed 15 pounds. The common weight is from 9 to 12
pounds, without the leaves, 22d. The blacksmith making
coals.

Oct. 2/i.th. I went to the Hair hills on horseback to meet
the Assiniboines and Crees. Indians all sick with coughs,
and some at the point of death, which prevents all hunting.
Livernois had exchanged his mare for a young wife, about
eight \sic'\ years of age ; it is common in the North West to
give a horse for a woman. On my return I killed five

^ Charles Hesse, clerk N. W. Co., appears at Grand Portage in 1799, and as
such with Henry, Lower Red r, , 1803-04.

rat's liver— visiting outposts. 229

bulls. The plains are burned almost everywhere; only a
few small spots have escaped the fury of the flames.

Oct. J 1st, Foie de Rat [Rat's Liver «] and some other
troublesome Indians are camped at the fort, drinking daily
Great fires appear to the S. W. and W., at some distance
A canoe arrived from above; Mr. Cameron sent me a corpse
to bury— one of our principal Indian's children. Men
begm to cut their stock of winter firewood.

Nov. 2d. Rain and snow ; swans and geese passing S
in abundance, jd. I set off on horseback to go up and
see Mr. Cameron, who was building at Riviere aux Marais
[present Snake river, Minn.], near Park river. I arrived at
sunset; found him doing nothing. I set off on the 5th to
visit his Indians at the Hair hills. Lagass6 was my guide •
both of us on horseback. We slept on the hills, but could
find no Indians. Very cold ; we had no blankets, nor any
covering but our capots, as we had expected to get to the
tent to-day, where Cadotte was with merchandise.

Nov. 6th. A strong north wind, with a heavy fall of snow
We searched for the Indians, but to no purpose; wandered
about in the storm, and could find no tracks. We saw sev-
eral bands of red deer. Having not a mouthful to eat, I
chased them, but the blusterous weather prevented my kill-
ing any. The ground on the declivity of the mountain
where I ran them was rough, stony, boggy, and under-
brushed. We at. last found ourselves entangled in a
thick wood on the top of the hills, and neither Lagasse nor
myself knew where we were ; the storm continued with great
violence. We saw the tracks of a large bear in the snow.
After v/andering for some time in the thick wood, leading

'^Tanner, p. 115, has: "an old man, called O-zhusk-koo-koon, (the musk-
rat s liver,) a chief of the Me-tai, came to my lodge, bringing a young woman
his grand-daughter, together with the girl's parents. This was a handsome
young girl, not more than 15 years old ; but Netnokwa did not think favour-
ably of her." So Tanner's mother advised him to be off. "I did so," he
adds, "and O-zhusk-koo-koon apparently relinquished the hope of marrying
me to his grand-daughter." The Me-tai here said was not a tribe of Indians,
but a certain religious ceremony which Rat's Liver conducted.

230 TROUBLE ON THIS TRIP.

our horses by the bridle, and clearing the road for them,
we came to a small river with very high banks, covered
with strong wood and huge stones ; its course made me
suspect it to be the principal branch of Tongue river. We
therefore determined to follow it down to the plains ; and,
since we had failed to find Indians, to return to Panbian
river as best we could. We had much trouble in working
our way down stream, being obliged to cross it often,
ascending and descending its steep banks, at the risk of
breaking our legs. When we found ourselves in the open
plain, the violence of the storm prevented us from seeing
many yards ahead. We kept along the foot of the hills as
nearly as we could ; and, happening to get a glimpse of the
sun, found we were on the right course, about N. E. We
saw several herds of buffalo, but our anxiety made us for-
get our hunger. In the afternoon the storm ceased. We
saw on our left the mountain, and on our right the plain ;
but neither of us had ever passed here before. We came
to a small creek, and attempted to cross our horses on the
ice, but they fell in, and we had much trouble to pull them
out ; one got his leg cut by the ice. Night coming on, we
stopped on a small island of dry poplars, and made a fire.
The north wind was piercingly cold, and we could make no
shelter ; we had neither ax nor blanket, nothing to eat, and
not a drop of water. We passed a miserable night, turning
about every moment to warm ourselves, and quenching our
thirst with snow. Daylight was welcome, as the storm had
recommenced and we were covered with snow. We saddled
and set out, wind N. E., directly ahead. At ten o'clock
the weather cleared up for a few moments, when I per-
ceived Big island of Tongue river, a place where I had
already been to chase buffalo. This revived our spirits ;
and we hurried to reach it as fast as possible ; but the storm
came on with greater violence, and we were a long time in
reaching Tongue river, at the Elbow, where it begins to run
E. [vicinity of Bathgate, Pembina Co., N. Dak.]. We now
had a side wind, and carac on more at our ease, keeping

AMENITIES AND ASPERITIES. 23 1

under the lee of the woods ; but it was excessively cold.
We could not remain on horseback for any time, but were
obliged to get off and run to warm ourselves. At four
o'clock we arrived at my fort ; we had much trouble get-
ting our horses over, as the ice was drifting in great bodies.
A good cup of tea was welcome, and put all to rights ; my
man got also a hearty glass of high wine ; he was as
happy as if he had drawn the ;^20,0C)0 prize. X. Y. J.
Desford '" had threatened to kill my servant [Pierre Bonza]
in my absence, but did not escape without a sound beating,

Nov. 8th. Exceedingly cold weather ; Red river frozen
over, and we crossed on the ice. Continual derouines to
the Indian tents, for little or nothing — sometimes not even
one skin, and always liquor expected.

Nov. i^th. A great fire to the S. W., although the
ground is covered with snow. i8th. I was sick with a
pain in the back and side ; could scarcely crawl about ;
rubbed the parts with camphorated spirits and warm
flannel, which gave relief. We have but few buffalo
toward Plumb river. X. Y. starving. 2^tJi. I gave Little
Shell, a troublesome drunken Indian, 120 drops of lauda-
num in high wine, but it had no effect in putting him to
sleep ; he took it in doses of 20 drops in the course of
an hour. A young Maskegan stabbed Capot Rouge
with a knife in the back. 26th. An Indian arrived from
above, a Sioux having killed Ondainoiache and two other
Saulteurs who were working beaver on Folle Avoine river.
This was one of the fellows who assisted Little Shell to
murder the old woman at the hills. Charles Hesse cut an
ugly gash in his woman's head with a cutlass this morning,
through jealousy. ^otJi. Much plagued with my hunter,
Joseph Cyr. Those freemen are a nuisance in the country,
and generally scoundrels ; I never yet found one honest
man amongst them.

"So copy, meaning J. Duford, of X. Y. Co.; of N. W. Co. after the
coalition of 1804 ; shot by an Indian at Pembina, 2 a. m., Oct. 31st, 1805; d. 2
p. m., next day ; see these dates, beyond.

232 FIRE IN CAMP — PEMMICAN — ANOTHER TRIP.

Dec. 1st. I set two small nets under the ice at the
entrance of Panbian river, ph. An Indian tent of five
families took fire ; it was burned to the ground and every-
thing consumed. They had just taken debts to the amount
of nearly 200 skins. The powder was saved, but never one
skin of the goods'' will be paid by them. We now were
obliged to eat pemmican. I had a few bags remaining
from last spring, which had been lying all summer in a
heap covered with a leathern tent, and never had been
stirred or turned, in a damp storehouse. I was apprehen-
sive it was spoiled, from the complaints made by my friends
about the bad quality of the Lower Red river pemmican,
but was surprised to find every bag excellent. This was
clear proof to me that the bad pemmican must have come
from another quarter — I suspect Portage la Prairie, as I am
confident my method of mixing and preparing it is good.
My men having finished cutting our stock of winter fire-
wood on the 5th, began to cut 3,000 stockades, eight feet in
length, to inclose my potato-field. loth. As an Indian
was firing his gun to-day she burst and shattered his left
hand in a shocking manner. We have nothing but
tough and lean bulls to eat, and the X. Y. not even that.
lyth. I shot a shelldrake in the small pond in the river
that was still open. Maymiutch shot at Mr. Langlois, at
the hills ; the ball stuck in the house between two women,
his own niece and Payet's woman. 21st. Lac la Pluie
Indians arrived for men to go en derouine. 2jd. Cows
begin to appear, but the great scarcity of grass keeps
them always on the walk in search of food.

Dec. 2/j.tJi. I set out early on horseback and with a cari-
ole, and Lambert also in the same manner, on a visit to
Mr. Cotton" at [the confluence of?] Riviere aux Liards
with Riviere du Lac Rouge, that establishment being under

" That is, the value of one of the 200 beaver skins for which these five
families vi^ere in debt for goods received by them on credit.

•'^ Mr. Cotton had come into the country recently, and was at Fond du Lac
Superieur in 1805. I have not identified Henry's R. aux Liards satisfactorily ;

VISITING Cameron's and cotton's posts. 233

my direction this year. I arrived at Mr. Cameron's ; as he
was unwell, I wished him to hire me an Indian guide, but
he preferred to accompany me, having already been there.
Sunday, Christmas, Dec. 2^th. We remained. 26th. I
set out on horseback with Mr. Lambert and Lagass^. Mr.
Cameron used my cariole, being too much indisposed to
ride on horseback. At nine o'clock, as we found scarcely
any snow, Mr. Cameron was obliged to mount a horse and
ride. We camped at Bear island, on Riviere aux Marais,
where we put the cariole eji cache, there not being snow
sufificient. zjth. At dusk we arrived at Cotton's house — a
good day's ride ; found him surrounded with his Indians,
all idle. X. Y. J. Stit" opposes him — the filthiest house
and wife I ever saw. Mr. Cameron's illness increased, and
on coming out of the house he vomited for some time ;
indeed I felt inclined to do the same myself. 28th.
Cotton's men arrived from derouines, each with a pack of
furs on his back and some fresh fallow deer meat. The
men use neither horses nor dogs to perform their duty, all
being carried with slings on their backs; they have hard
work of it, but do not murmur or complain like our
meadow gentry. Settled with two men and Lallonde " to
pass the summer at Red lake and build a fort there. 2gth.
Mr. Cameron's illness prevented our departure, ^otli. My
affairs would not permit me to remain any longer, though
I was unwilling to leave Mr. Cameron behind us. There
was not enough snow for a train, and he was unable to ride
on horseback; he complained of a pain in the breast, with a
bad cough and want of appetite ; still he looked well in the
face, though lean in body. I certainly did not suppose

it seems to have been a branch of Red Lake r. , possibly the Clearwater itself,
though Henry uses the latter name.

'3 Copy elsewhere J. Stitt. This is no doubt John Still, who became a clerk
of the N. W. Co. after the fusion of 1804, and was in the Nepigon district.

'* A surname which varies in MS. and print to Lalonde, La Londe, and La
Lande. One of this name, a middle-aged man in 1785, was a guide in the
service of Gregory, McLeod & Co. — Jean Baptiste Lalonde appears as voy-
ageur N. W. Co., Fort Dauphin, 1804.

234 CAMERON DYING — THE DUCHARMES.

him in any danger until, after breakfasting with him, on
bidding him adieu the tears started in his eyes. I proposed
to delay my departure, if he thought I could be of any
service, but he urged me to set off without him, as he knew
that my affairs required me to return ; he said he hoped to
be able to follow me in a few days. I left him Lagasse and
two horses, and desired Cotton to get a sleigh made for
him, that he might come on the first fall of snow. Poor
fellow ! We parted never to meet again in this world. I
overtook two men I had sent ahead on foot, and X. Y. Stit,
who was going to X. Y. Ducharme.'^ We stopped at our
old encampment. Jist. Before daybreak we were off in
the dark ; got lost, and did not find our way until daylight.
At twelve o'clock we arrived at Riviere aux Marais, the
men on foot ; Stitt with his two men arrived late in the
afternoon, very much fatigued. Met an express with
letters from the northward. It will be necessary for me to
make a trip as soon as possible to all my other outposts.
Sunday, Jan. ist, 1804.. A dull and gloomy New Year's

'5 Ducharme is an old and numerously represented name in Canadian history,
in and out of the fur-trade. Jean Marie Ducharme, b. ca. 1723, was living at
Lachine near Montreal on the invasion of 1775-76 ; became a trader at Michili-
mackinac and elsewhere ; took a prominent part in the disturbances of 1780,
"I'annee du grand coup " ; returned to Lachine ca. 1800 ; became blind, and
d. there ca. 1803 : biogr. in Tasse, I. pp. 341-350. He had a brother Domi-
nique, a cousin Laurent, and three sons, Joseph, Dominique, and Paul.
Dominique ist was associated with his brother in various enterprises. Dom-
inique 2d became a trader, was Indian agent at Lac des Deux Montagnes, and
took part in the war of 18 12 : see Tasse, I. p. 355. Joseph was also a trader.
Laurent Ducharme is historical. He witnessed the Michilimackinac massacre,
June 4th, 1763, of which he had warned Major Etherington unavailingly ; and
had a trading house on Milwaukee r. in 1777. In 1857 Paul Ducharme was
ca. 87 years old, and had been at Bale Verte over 60 : Tasse, I. p. 356. — For
others of the same name but different families : One Ducharme was with
Thompson on the Saskatchewan in June, 1800. — Antoine Ducharme appears as
voyageur N. W. Co., Fort Dauphin, 1804. — Nicholas Ducharme, guide N. W.
Co. in 1804, Fort Dauphin, was a witness in the Semple case at Toronto, Oct.
1818. — Pierre Ducharme is listed as voyageur N. W. Co., Upper Red r., 1804,
and may or may not be same as the Pierre Etienne Ducharme who was on the
Assiniboine in 1794.

CAMERON DEAD — EXPENSIVE FORNICATION. 235

Day. I gave charge of the place to Cadotte until Mr.
Cameron should return. 2d. Before daybreak I set off
with my horse and cariole, and at four o'clock reached my
fort ; Cotton's two men arrived in the evening. I found
two men awaiting my arrival for a supply of goods for
Portage la Prairie.

Jufi. 6th. Lagass6 arrived from Riviere aux Liards with
news of Mr. Cameron's death ; he expired on the 3d inst. at
7 p. m. As he was sitting on a stool, he fell on his face
upon the floor, and died instantly, without uttering one
word. yth. Long before day I was on the way up to Ri-
viere aux Marais. The cold was very severe, and weather
blusterous. Two of my men had their faces badly frozen.
My sleigh and dogs were of no use, the cold being too
severe to ride ; I was obliged to walk and run to keep
from freezing to death. I got there at two o'clock. On
the 8th I dispatched three men with a train and six
dogs for the corpse, gth. I took an inventory of the
property, both of the company and of the deceased, but
found there had been some foul play and embezzlement,
particularly in the wearing apparel of the deceased. I
recovered all I could. I gave Cadotte charge of the place,
but the establishment will turn out a heavy loss — a great
quantity of goods gone, and very few packs of furs on
hand. I could find no account book, either of Indian debts
or the men's advances. I suspect foul play in this case, and
that the book has been committed to the flames. loth. I
returned home; weather very severe. On the 12th one of
my men gave a mare that cost him, G. H. V. P. currency,
equal to;^i6 13s. 4d., Halifax currency, for one single touch
at a Slave girl. Another of my men, who was out with
the hunter in a leather tent last night, got up in his sleep
and fell into the fire with his buttocks foremost; he is
much burned, and cannot walk. ijth. I sent two men
to make salt above Park river. My house was set on
fire during the night by the burning of the cannouilles [can-
nelures] in the chimney ; a part of the upper floor falling,

236 CAMERON BURIED — ANOTHER JOURNEY.

awoke me. The wind was very high, but we extinguished
the fire without much damage, i^th. The men arrived
with the corpse on a train, wrapped in a Russia sheeting and
two parchment skins. They had attempted to bring it in a
coffin, but it was too broad for a train. This was a melan-
choly day for us all. Langlois had arrived from his place,
and was just sitting down to his dinner, when the corpse was
announced. What a sudden change ! Only a few days ago
he was merry and cheerful, as we were riding along crack-
ing jokes and running races, and little did he believe him-
self so near his end. He was a good-natured, inoffensive,
zealous, and sober young man. i6th. Having got a coffin
made, we buried Mr. Cameron alongside his deceased wife,
attended by all the men, women, and children of the fort.
His easy, affable manners had won the esteem of all.
ijth. Mr. Langlois returned to his place. I prepared for
departure to my northern outposts.

Jan. igth. Before day I set off with two men, well pro-
vided with sleighs and dogs. We camped at Riviere aux
Gratias. 20th. The most severe, cold morning I recollect
to have ever experienced ; we could not leave the fire to
tackle our dogs and prepare for our march. When the
weather was perfectly clear and calm we took to the ice,
came down, and camped at Rat river. Next day we got to
the Forks. Mr. Dorion was starving, and making no packs.
24.th. Set off for Riviere aux Morts, where we arrived at
four o'clock. T. Veandier [Vaudry] making out extraordi-
narily well. I wished a guide to take me across land to
Manitouaubanc [Lake Manitoba], but there were no Indians
at the house. 2^th. At noon I set off, and at ten p. m.
arrived at the Forks. 28th. I set off for Portage la Prairie.
2gth. On arrival I found all starving.

Feb. 1st. I set off with my two men and Mr. Harrison
for the lake ; a snowstorm obliged us to encamp at the N.
end of the portage. 2d. . Early off ; fell upon Lake Mani-
touaubanc ; fine smooth ice. We kept the E. shore, passing
from one bay to another across points ; camped at a little

LAKE MANITOBA — DESJARLAIX. 237

river, jd. Arrived at Desjarlaix's house, opposite Maple
island ; '^ he is making nothing. He takes daily a number
of fine large whitefish in his nets. This fishery is abundant
the whole year, but more particularly in the autumn, when
almost any number may be caught ; they generally weigh
from 12 to 20 pounds. This part of the lake is erroneously
called by us Manitoaubanc. It is a considerable body of
water running nearly N. and S., and near the middle nar-
rows to a strait not a league across. The S. part is called
by the natives Rush lake, and the N. is called Manitoau-
banc. From Desjarlaix's house we can see Fort Dauphin
mountain very distinctly; the distance may be 12 leagues
— that is, about one day's walk. Madame Desjarlaix
contrived to get intoxicated, and, in her endeavors to show
her art of cooking, came near poisoning us with filth, ^th.
We set off homeward ; camped at the old encampment.
6th. A terrible gale blew all day, and prevented our start-
ing until sunset, when the wind ceased and we set out on
the lake ; traveled all night ; excessively dark ; the ice
smooth and clear. Our dogs had no footing, and my fel-
low-traveler, Mr. Harrison, is one of the most awkward and
miserable winter-travelers in the North West ; he can
neither walk, run, or ride with dogs. He lost us much time

" Two of the points along the E. shore of Lake Manitoba are now called
Marshy and Long. The only considerable island I can find is one now called
Duck isl., high up in the southern division of the lake, directly off the present
Sousonse Indian reserve. Henry's remarks on the native nomenclature of the
lake are specially interesting.

Antoine Desjarlaix, Desjarlais, Dejarlais, or Dejarlet, clerk and interpreter
of the N. W. Co., the one here in mention, is probably to be distinguished
from another Antoine Desjarlaix, who was in that country in 1799, and left the
N. W. Co. in 1805, as this one could not read. The latter long lived on that
Lac a la Biche or Red Deer 1. which discharges by a river of the same name
into Athabasca r. Thompson found him there May 29th, 1812, with his
family, living in two tents and trading with the H. B. Co. I note him again
of date June 5th, 1814, with wife, two sons, and two or more daughters ; he
had sisters in the parish of Vercheres. — One Desjarlaix, N. W. Co., was horse-
keeper to the Rocky Mountain house, Oct. nth, 1806 ; no doubt one of the
two, Fran9ois and Joseph, who were in the Rocky mts., on Columbian waters
with Thompson, winter of 1810-11.

238 RETURN TO PEMBINA — STABBING AFFRAY.

in waiting for him every day he was with us ; but this dark
night was still worse, and we were often near losing him
entirely. At sunrise we reached the N. end of the portage.
The grass has been burned here the same as all over the
plains of Red river; what little snow falls is instantly drifted
off, and the bare ground is so much exposed to the frosts
that the earth has cracked in a surprising manner. We met
with crevices in the portage half a foot wide, and sorrie few
near a foot. These rents run in serpentine directions and
make traveling in the dark dangerous, as they are of a great
depth, and a person getting his foot or legs into one would
be in danger. The ground was so dry that our dogs and
cariole raised a thick dust, blackening our faces, so that
when we arrived at Portage la Prairie we looked as if we
had been working in a coal pit. Riding is out of question in
the burned plains. This made it disagreeable business for
my friend Harrison, who, after sweating, puffing, blowing,
and lamenting, was heartily glad to find himself at his
house. gth. Two men from Fisher river '^ came for high
wine. nth. Set off, almost distracted with toothache.
Not a mouthful of provisions at this place. 12th. A terri-
ble snowstorm, and a gale in our teeth ; however, we got to
the Forks. All hands starving here also. On the 15th I
set off with my two men and Mr. Dorion ; found Indians at
entrance of Riviere la Sale [St. Norbert]. We camped at the
Riviere aux Gratias ; a snowstorm prevented our marching.
lytk. At dusk we arrived at Panbian river ; Mr. Cotton
was awaiting my arrival, ipt/i. Mr. Cotton and two men
started for the upper part of Rat river to make gum. Mr.
Desjarlaix also off.

Felf. 22d. I started Mr. Hesse and his wife for Red lake to
bring down sugar and bark ; with him go two men. Grande
Gueule stabbed Perdrix Blanche with a knife in six places ;
the latter, in fighting with his wife, fell in the fire and was

" Present name of the stream which falls into the head of Fisher bay, at the
S. end of the N. division of Lake Winnipeg, nearly or exactly on the boundary
of Rs. i and ii E. of the princ. merid., Tp. 28 ; Indian res. there now.

TRIP TO HAIR HILLS — SERIOUS DISPUTE. 239

almost roasted, but had strength enough left, notwithstand-
ing his wounds, to bite her nose off. He is very ill, but I
don't suppose he will die. 26th. Heavy snow; Indians
daily going and coming, and tormenting us for liquor.
Payet off to Lake Winipic in search of canoe bark.

Mar. 1st. I take from 15 to 20 small fish in my net daily.
6tk. Men finished burning 2CX) cords of oak since our
arrival here ; four chimneys only. 12th. Filled my ice-
house ; 50 sleigh-loads of ice and 400 kegs of water, ijth.
I went to the Hair hills. The Assiniboines requested me
to leave a person to summer with them, as they did not
like to go to the Saulteur fort [Pembina]. They made me
fine promises if I would consent to their proposal ; I told
them I would consider on it. i/fth. We returned home,
traveling in the night ; at this season we prefer always to do
so, to prevent sore eyes, and to take advantage of the frost ;
the dogs travel much better than in the daytime, when the
snow is soft and they are soon fatigued. i8tk. Indians set-
ting off for their spring hunt above. We saw some corneilles
[crows, Corvus ainericanus\ and hawks, igth. I set off at
dark for Riviere aux Marais — a tedious trip ; no frost, but
much water on the plains, and dogs of no use. Put my
cariole en cache, and got there at sunrise on foot. 21st.
Came home on horseback ; snow entirely melted. Men
arrived with 18 kegs of gum.

Mar. 22d. Winter express from the North arrived, via
Portage la Prairie ; two men brought it. Grosse Gueule
and myself had a serious dispute ; he wanted to give his
furs to the X. Y., which I prevented, at the risk of my life ;
he was advised by them to kill me. 2jd. Winter express
on horseback off for Red river. I sent men for meat with
carts ; saw some ducks and geese. 2^tJi. Plains on fire
toward the W. 26th. Ice breaking up ; sturgeon jump-
ing. Women came in with some new sugar.

April 1st. I went to the upper part of Tongue river to
meet a band of Indians returning from hunting beaver, and
fought several battles with the women to get their furs

240 TRICK OF TRADE — MURDER — FIRE.

from them. It was the most disagreeable derouine I ever
made ; however, I got all they had, about a pack of good
furs ; but I was vexed, at having been obliged to fight with
the women. It is true it was all my neighbor's debts.

April 2d. I returned with the furs I had so well pur-
chased. The grass begins to point out of the ground in the
burned prairies. Fire in the S. W. Of my men, some are
making wheels, others carts, others sawing boards and
squaring timber; the smith is making nails, others sturgeon
nets ; some are smoking tongues ; the most active and
capable are gone with the Indians to hunt beaver and take
care of the furs. •

April 4.th. An Indian from Red lake informs us that one
of our men. La Rose,'' has been killed by a Saulteur of
Fond du Lac ; the Indian has since died himself. Red
river now clear of ice. jtJi. Indian families daily camping
at our houses, awaiting the return of the men who are hunt-
ing beaver. loth. My people arrived from Riviere aux
Marais — miserable returns. An Indian tent of eight fam-
ilies caught fire, by the carelessness of the children, and was
burned to the ground, and everything consumed ; the four
families that were burned out early in the winter having their
little property again destroyed, nth. I sent two men in
a small canoe with goods to supply the Forks and Riviere
aux Morts. I went to the Hair hills on horseback ; settled

'8 A shady transaction, of which Mr. Henry should have been rather ashamed
than " vexed." Those skins which he secured were due to the X. Y. Co., for
debts the Indians had contracted ; he knew this, and so did the squaws with
whom he " fought," lest they should prevail upon their husbands to deliver the
skins where they were due. Mr. Henry doubtless thought that all things are
fair in trade, as they are said to be in love and war.

" Fran9ois Larose or La Rose appears as interpreter N. W. Co., Red Lake
Dept., 1804. The same name appears as that of a voyageur N. W. Co. Chip-
pewa r. , 1804. — Baptiste or Jean Baptiste Larose, of the N. W. Co., was at
Lower Fort des Prairies on the Saskatchewan in 1799, and at the Rocky Moun-
tain house on the Upper Saskatch. with Thompson in 1800. — Aimable de Gere,
dit Larose, b. Montreal, went young to Michilimackinac, entered fur-trade,
took part in the war, was for some years at Baie Verte, d. at Montreal, very
old, unmarried.

NEW HAIR HILLS POST — GOOD ASSINIBOINES. 241

with Mr. Langlois and three men to summer there and
build a new fort. I pitched upon a delightful situation on
rising ground in the entrance of the 'plains; the view from
the house will be charming. I found here 15 Assiniboine
tents, — Old Frog, Chef des Enfants, etc., — but I thought
proper to select a chief of my own. I chose a young man
who was a famous hunter, much respected among his own
people, and who, having committed some recent crime in his
own lands, I was fully persuaded would neither breed dis-
turbance with the Saulteurs nor wish to leave me. He had
command of ten tents, all excellent beaver hunters and pro-
vision makers — in a word, the best little band of Indians I
ever met ; honest, industrious, and easy to please. Nau-
bonostouog, or Man with One Ear, is his name ; I gave him
a chief's dress, a flag, and a large keg of liquor.

April ijth. I came off alone ; chased several herds of
buffalo, and killed three cows and several calves ; but I was
near leaving my bones in the plains, a prey for the wolves.
This was occasioned by my horse stumbling while at full
speed. I was just drawing my gun from the belt to fire,
holding it by the barrel near the muzzle, when the sudden
shock caused the priming to fire the gun ; the ball passed
near my hip and struck in the ground and the gun flew
some distance. I was in the midst of the herd ; a fine
large calf passing near me, I dismounted, caught him by the
tail, and held him fast ; he began to bleat, when instantly
the mother turned and rushed at me ; I was glad to let go
and run to my horse. As I reflected on my narrow escape,
it brought to mind a similar affair which happened to
me some years ago at Michipicotton, when shooting wild
fowl in the spring, in a small canoe. In attempting to
shift my gun from my left to my right side, passing the
muzzle behind my back, the cock got fast to one of the
bars, and, on my pulling the gun forward from behind me,
she went off ; the load grazed my right side, taking a piece
of my belt and capot away.

April i6th. My men began to inclose our potato field.

242 DYSENTERY — DROWNED LYNX — WHITE BUFFALO.

We take from lo to 20 sturgeon per day ; one weighed 145
pounds. Indians all feasting and making their wabbano ;
drums and kettles beating day and night, keeping up a ter-
rible noise. i8th. Indians drinking, and very troublesome.
My people are all unwell ; as usual every spring, on the
sudden change of diet from flesh to fat sturgeon, they are
troubled with a dysentery that reduces them very much ;
they are extraordinary gormandizers, and sturgeon oil is
too much for them. We take large fat picaneau in our stur-
geon nets ; they are excellent eating, but too oily, and tend
to increase the disease. Indians preparing for their grand
medicine, having received their spring presents of clothing,
liquor, etc. 22d. Caught 15 sturgeons and a loup-cervier ;
how the latter came into the sturgeon net I cannot say.
We saw his track on the beach until he came opposite the
net, which completely crossed the river; he appeared to have
then taken to the water, for what reason I cannot tell.
However, he was found drowned, entangled in the net,
about 10 feet from shore. 2/j.th. I bought a beautiful
white buffalo skin from Le Cedre, who had killed the
young bull last January at Grandes Fourches ; the hair was
long, soft, and perfectly white, resembling a sheep's fleece.
The Saulteurs set no value on these skins. We began to
make up our pemmican and packs. 2§th. I took a mare
from an X. Y. Indian in payment of a debt. This affair
came near being attended with serious consequences, as the
fellow was a known villain and a chief of the X. Y. making.
I some time ago gave him a cruel beating, and bunged up
his eyes, so that he could not see for several days. He
has ever since been bent on revenge, although he richly
deserved the ill usage I gave him, having attempted to stab
me with my own knife. 26th. I began to sow potatoes,
21 bags ; corn, one pint ; and some cabbage seed.

April 28th. Working at our garden. Some of our horses
could not be found. I suspected the fellow from whom Ave
had taken the mare. I went to his tent with a couple of
men, determined to bring him prisoner to my house, and

TRIPLE FRACAS — FORT ON FIRE — FIVE FIGHTS. 243

found him playing at the platter with 20 men, all his rela-
tions. I inquired if he had left his tent since such a day,
and if it was not he who had hid my horses. The Indians
were astonished, and could not account for my violent pro-
ceedings. However, I was convinced that he was innocent.
On returning to the fort I found the men alarmed ; all the
women and children had fled to the woods. They had been
informed by an old woman that the Indians were preparing
to attack the fort ; but, after a great bustle, everything
quieted down.

Apr. joth. We found our strayed horses. Indians having
asked for liquor, and promised to decamp and hunt well all
summer, I gave them some. Grande Gueule stabbed Capot
Rouge, Le BcEuf stabbed his young wife in the arm. Little
Shell almost beat his old mother's brains out with a club,
and there was terrible fighting among them. I sowed
garden seeds.

May ^th. Indian women preparing ground, sowing pota-
toes, corn, and squash, burning brush, etc. Extraordinary
number of wild pigeons; I never before saw so many.
^th. Tremendous gale of wind from the N. W., which
kindled afresh the brushwood of yesterday; the fire spread
in every direction, and was blown full upon the fort. Some
sparks flew over the stockades and set fire to a heap of dry
dung, which in an instant communicated to the stockades,
and all was in a blaze. The flames were driven with great
violence upon our range of houses, and we were in imminent
danger of losing all the property. But the Indians rendered
great assistance in keeping the fire under, carrying water,
etc., and after having suffered much by flame, smoke, and
dust, we extinguished it.

May 6th. Engaged my men, settled their accounts, and
gave them a treat of high wine ; they were soon merry, then
quarreled and fought. I saw five battles at the same
moment, and soon after they all had bloody noses, bruised
faces, black eyes, and torn clothes, yth. Repairing canoes.
Indians decamping for the Hair hills. 8th. I went to see

244 VARIOUS MOVEMENTS AND ARRANGEMENTS.

Mr. Lansflois, and overtook the Indians on their march.
They formed a string in the plains, over a mile long — 65
men and women, 10 horses, iand 60 dogs. At the hills I
found the building almost finished, and 50 tents of Assini-
boines and Crees. loth. I returned home ; chased buffalo,
and killed three cows and several calves ; Lambert's horse
knocked up. We performed an extraordinary day's march,
after running the buffalo. Cabbages and radishes are out
of the ground ; peas and turnips also appear. 12th. Plum
trees and pear bushes begin to blossom ; appearance of
much fruit this season. The blossoms of various kinds emit
a most agreeable smell on the border of the plains, where
they grow sumptuously. i6th. The men cut down the
huge Hards \Popiilus balsainifera] that stood on the banks
and intercepted our view. i8th. Mr. Hesse arrived from
Red lake in 13 days, bringing 12 kegs of sugar and a few
beaver skins. One of my men, Descarreau,"" was shot in the
thigh by an Indian, Naubunaejonibe ; the shot was intended
for Mr. Cotton. I heard of the death of Gabriel Atina
Laviolette" at Fort Fond du Lac this winter.

May igth. Sent off my canoes and boats, Charles Hesse,
master, Cadotte, and two men. 20th. I embarked in my
OM^ canoe, a new one made by Lambert — his first essay.
2ist. Arrived at the Forks. Clothed five Indians, and gave
liquor in proportion. 22d. Went to Portage la Prairie to
get Mr. Harrison off and settle that place for the summer ;
all were very merry — rather too much so. 2jd. Sent ofY
the last canoe with the remainder of Lake Manitou [Mani-
toba] returns, and Mr. Harrison's baggage, etc. 24.th. Re-
turned to the Forks. 2^th. Sent Mr. Dorion to summer
at Portage la Prairie with Joseph St. Germain and two men.
Sent Antoine Desjarlaix to Lake Winipic to raise bark

'" So copy ; elsewhere Descarrie in Henry MS. I have no other record of
him. The shot was not fatal, as he brought Henry, on Mar. 13th, 1806, news
of Pike's visit to Leech 1.

"• One Laviolette was associated with Beaubien in opposition to the N. W.
Co., 1794. — Jacques Laviolette is listed as voyageur contre-maitre, N. W. Co.,
Fort Dauphin, 1804.

DEPARTURE FROM PEMBINA.

245

during the summer. Settled Portage la Prairie accounts,
engaged the men, etc. 26th. Sent my brigade off. zjth.
The N. W. Upper Red River brigade passed down, and
soon afterward the X. Y. from U. R. R. At twelve o'clock
I embarked. 28th. Stopped by the wind at the entrance
of Red river; the different brigades joined us. 2gth. Mr.
Chaboillez arrived.

RETURNS OF LOWER RED RIVER DEPARTMENT, 1803-O4.

Eight Canoes.

i866 Beavers, 2868 lbs

166 Black Bears

34 Brown Bears

I Grizzly Bear

360 Wolves

81 Foxes

20 Kitts

77 Raccoons

176 Fishers

130 Otters

440 Martens

72 Minks

8 Wolverenes

167 Lynxes

85 Moose and Biches

288 Shaved and Parchment.

18 Buffalo Robes

4 Badgers

105 Packs of 90 lbs. each.

53 Kegs Pemmican, qo lbs. each.

Gum.
Beef...
Grease.
Salt....
Sugar. .

5 X-

O lU
[/) —

■u<

219

32
12

20
24
35
69

47
30

JSS

131
5

114

I
24

5
24

520

6
5

5
27

24
209

o
Q

356
18

36
26
21
13

3
IS

182

43
6

148
38
17

9
30

147

3
16

I
8

0.5

so-

211

37
12

3
15

9
5
2
2

6
25
51

26
15
30
6
2
12

J/^jj/ jo/^. The wind fell at daybreak. We embarked
and stood out in the lake in a body — U. R. R., N. W. Co.,
7 canoes and 2 boats ; L. R. R., N. W. Co., 7 canoes and 2
boats ; Swan River Co., 7 canoes and i boat ; Red River,
X. Y. Co., 8 canoes and i boat; Indian women, 4 canoes.
Wind stopped us at Grand Marais. I sent in search of
bark to repair our canoes.

246 JOURNEY TO KAMINISTIQUIA.

May J 1st. We searched for better bark along the lake,
but to no purpose ; nothing but trash was to be found.
In the evening reached Bas de la Riviere.

Friday, June ist. Early our two brigades arrived, the 18
crafts abreast, all singing and keeping time with their
paddles and oars ; the canoes being heavy loaded, and
having only three men apiece, made it easy to keep in
chorus with the boats.

June jd. Sent back Messrs. Harrison, Delorme, and
V. St. Germain for Portage la Prairie on board a boat.

June ^th. Sent off the Lower Red River brigade for
Kamanistiquia.

June 6th. Embarked Mr. William McKay on board my
canoe, and eight men ; marched moderately.

June I2th. Arrived at Lac la Pluie ; remained some
days, to see the brigade pass,

June 2^th. Arrived at Kamanistiquia.

CHAPTER VII.

THE PEMBINA RIVER POST, CONTINUED : 1804-O5.

mAMANISTIQUIA, July ist, 1804. Men not so diffi-
cult to hire this year as last, when boaters for Lower
Red river refused 700 G. P. Cy., and milieux [middlemen]
500, with extra equipments.

July yth. I sent off the brigade — 10 canoes, with 28
packs and 4 men each.

July ijth. Took passage ' on Mr. Cameron's canoe ;
then on board Mr. Joseph St. Germain's, igth. Pears ripe
at Portage des Chiens [Dog portage]. 2jd, Mr. Hamilton
got astray in the woods on Riviere des Chiens [Dog river].
Water exceedingly low. We made continual d^charges
and half-loads.

July 25th. At the little lake in Portage la Prairie [Mead-
ow or Savanna portage], our pots and kettles were covered
with ice in the morning ; this is the Height of Land.

July 28th. Overtook my brigade on Portage des Fran-
^ais [French portage] ; the men mostly sick and emaciated.
Canoes very small, of the worst materials, wretchedly
put together ; require daily repairing. Water very low,
and canoes heavy loaded. This has nearly knocked the
men up ; nothing but a certain pride and ambition, natural
to the Northmen, keeps them pushing forward, with every
exertion in their power ; and it is very disagreeable for the
master when he joins his brigade in a difficult and tedious
part of the route. Little or nothing is said during the day,
when they have a certain shame or bashfulness about
complaining openly ; but no sooner is my tent pitched,

' Henry starts back to his Pembina post by the Kaministiquia route. The
places he names will be recognized by reference to note ", p. 217.

247

248 JOURNEY FROM KAMINISTIQUIA — PORK EATERS.

than I am attacked by everyone in turn. Some complain
of having a bad canoe ; others, a heavy one — his assistant
cannot carry her; others have a sick or lame man in the
canoe, yet must keep up to the brigade ; some want bark,
others gum, others wattap, others grease, etc.; unforeseen
accidents having deprived them of those very necessary
articles. Having listened to all the complaints, and re-
dressed them as far as practicable, I must attend to the
sick and lame, and administer accordingly.

Au£;: 1st. Left my brigade ; exchanged my own canoe
with the Pork Eaters* from Lac la Pluie. The two Fort
des Prairies canoes, Messrs. McDonnell and Harrison, have
13 packs and eight men each; Athabasca river, Mr. G.,'
eight packs and seven men.

Aug: 4.th. At Little Lake portage. Athabasca canoes
still here, preparing to embark ; water very low. We have
terrible weather — wind, rain, thunder and lightning almost
every day. Made a very long, ugly portage in Lac des
Bois, in mud and mire up to the knees ; loading and
unloading is miserable work here in such a season.

^ Mangeurs de Lard or " Pork Eaters," also called " Goers and Comers" in
the N. W. Co., were men employed from May ist to the end of September, to
go and come between Montreal and Grand Portage (in some cases as far as
Rainy 1.). In 1798 the company had of these, 5 clerks, 18 guides, 350 canoe-
men. The guides were paid 800 to 1,000 livres and suitable equipment ;
bowsmen and steersmen, 400 to 600 livres ; middlemen, 250 to 350 livres, with
a blanket, a shirt, and pair of trousers. All were victualed at the expense of
the company. Similar arrangements naturally continued when headquarters
were removed to Kaministiquia. In the matter of rations, McKenzie, p. xlvi.,
gives an interesting account of things as they were at Grand Portage before
the removal : " The proprietors, clerks, guides, and interpreters, mess together,
to the number of sometimes an hundred, at several tables, in one large hall,
the provision consisting of bread, salt pork, beef, hams, fish, and venison,
butter, peas, Indian corn, potatoes, tea, spirits, wine, &c. and plenty of milk."
Mechanics had the same ration ; but canoemen were given no subsistence, here
or on the voyage, but corn and grease. The corn was prepared before leaving
Detroit by boiling it in lye to take off the husk, when it was washed and dried.
It was cooked by boiling it into a sagamity, or hominy, and eaten with salt.
A quart of such corn was a ration for 24 hours, costing about 10 pence ; the
corn was worth about 20 shillings a bushel at Grand Portage.

ARRIVAL AT WINNIPEG — DEATH OF V. ST. GERMAIN. 249

Au£: i6tJi. Reached Bas de la Riviere: our provisions
all expended. lyth. Off. i8th. Terrible weather on the
lake — wind, thunder, lightning, and torrents of rain ; not a
mouthful for the men.

Aug. igth. Arrived at Forks. Heard of the death of
Venant St. Germain at Panbian river, where he was shot
by one of our men, Joseph Rainville, in July last, entirely
by accident. The deceased summered at Portage la
Prairie ; he visited Panbian river, and while arranging his
saddle climbed up into a sort of half garret over the men's
bedrooms in the Indian hall, in search of some necessary
material. Just as he was descending Rainville came in;
they had been much given to play and joke with each other.
Rainville said, in a jocular manner: "What would you say
if I were to bring your carcass down like a bear ? " The
other retorted in a like manner, knowing R. was a miser-
able marksman. The latter took down his old gun, then
hanging in the room, where it had been since last winter,,
and taking aim, pulled the trigger. To his astonishment
the gun went off ; and the ball entered St. Germain's left
side below the ribs and came out on the right side under
the arm. He came down very composedly, saying : *' You
have killed me " — which was actually the case, as he ex-
pired in about four hours. This young man was an
apprentice clerk and son of Joseph St. Germain of Isle
J^sus near Montreal.

Our Indians have been at war all summer toward the
Sioux country, but always unsuccessful. A party is now
arriving from Panbian river in canoes, returning homeward
to Lake Winipic ; 20 men arrived to-day, and plagued me
for liquor.

Aug. 20th. Lambert and England' off for Panbian river.
23d. Payet arrived in a light canoe to inform me that the
brigade was at Sault a la Biche [present St. Andrew's rapids
in Red river] awaiting my orders, having been desired to

'James England is listed as voyageur N. W. Co. after the fusion of 1804,
English r.

250 ARRIVAL AT PEMBINA — ARRANGEMENTS MADE.

stop there ; they have been destitute of corn, etc., since they
left Slave falls [Winnipeg river] and are starving and sick.
2Jfth. I went down in a light canoe to meet them ; heavy
complaints of their misery, but now that is all over. Made
out the assortments for Dead river, Riviere Terre Blanche,
and Lake Winipic, S. side. Men fishing ; but as usual,
when a scarcity of provisions prevails, they caught nothing.
26tJi. Settled with the men and divided baggages ; sent
canoes to the Forks ; went down with two outfits to Dead
river, to settle with the Indians myself. 2^111. The canoes
with grease arrived from Panbian river. Indians all there,
preparing for war. 28th. Returned to the Forks ; arrived
at midnight. 2gth. Made out assortment for Portage la
Prairie. 30th. Sent all the canons off; Payet and Du-
charme to remain with the Sault Indians, ^ist. Set off on
horseback, chased buffalo with Mr. C, and camped with his
brigade at the Passage.

Sept. 6th. Arrived at Panbian river; found 10 long
Saulteur tents of women ; men all off to war since the 4th.
This is the second excursion ; the Assiniboines have joined
them, forming a party of about 300 men, of whom 150 are
mounted, yth. Mr. Langlois arrived from his post at Hair
hills ; very good summer returns there. The Crees stole
three of our horses last July; these scoundrels having com-
menced horse-thieving, I am afraid they will trouble us
often on that score. Bear, an Assiniboine, was the prin-
cipal man, and there were two Crees; they stole the horses
from Cadotte, at the Grand Passage. 13th. We are much
plagued in watching our potatoes day and night, to prevent
the Indian women and children from stealing them. 17th.
I sent Mr. Hesse with eight men in one boat up river.
i8th. Fire appears southward ; we suppose the war party
is returning, igth. I gathered my cucumbers and made a
nine-gallon keg of pickles, having plenty of excellent vine-
gar from maple sap, little inferior to that imported.

Sept. 2ist. The war party arrived ; they had been no
further than Schian river and seen no Sioux. 23d. Indians

LIQUOR MIXED — USUAL RESULTS — TRIP UP RIVER. 25 I

daily coming in by small parties; nearly 100 men here. I
gave them 15 kegs of mixed liquor, and X. Y. gave in pro-
portion ; all drinking. I quarreled with Little Shell, and
dragged him out of the fort by the hair. Indians very trou-
blesome, threatening to level my fort to the ground, and
Tabashaw breeding mischief. I had two narrow escapes
from being stabbed by him ; once in the hall, and soon
afterward in the shop. I preceived they were bent on
murdering some of us and then pillaging. I therefore de-
sired all hands to keep on their guard, and knock down the
first Indian who should be insolent. The fellows soon saw
we were ready for them, and dropped away. I would not
give out one drop more rum, and all was soon quiet.

Sept. 26th. Grand medicine performing; 30 Indians
decamping for above and for Panbian mountain.

Oct. 1st. Having determined to go above myself to settle
the Indians in that quarter, and the ground being clear here, I
sent off a canoe with my baggage and followed on horseback.
Settled Mr. Hesse at Turtle river with a band of Indians,
and Augustin Cadotte at Salt river, to oppose the X. Y.

Oct. 2ist. Returned to Panbian river after much trouble
in settling the Indians above ; they are worse than ever,
and it is impossible to satisfy their unreasonable demands.
I came home by way of Hair hills and Tongue river, and
had excellent diversion in chasing buffalo ; my famous gray
horse was never fatigued. One day, when it blew very
hard, I chased a three-year-old hart five miles before I
killed him. An hour afterward I started a large meadow
hare, and killed it only aftei; a long chase, as they are very
swift. Toward evening I ran a herd of bufTalo and killed a
fat cow for supper. My horse was not in the least fatigued,
although I had ridden about 12 leagues, besides these three
long races. The day's journey some of those horses per-
form is surprising. This horse of mine is the most spirited,
hardy beast I ever saw. Next day I made an extraordi-
nary ride chasing buffalo, wolves, etc., yet he kept on the
alert and came in fresh.

252 GARDEN CROPS— SUICIDE— SHOOTING SCRAPES.

Oct. 22d. Sault Indians arrived for men to go for their
furs — three packs of beaver. Had I been one day later, I
should have lost this. My canoe arrived from above. 2^d.
Six men ofT, en derouine to Rat river. Gathered my turnips,
carrots, etc. zjtJi. Fire in the plains in every direction.
Went to see how Mr. Langlois was coming on at the hills,
and returned next day. The men had gathered the follow-
ing crops : I, GOO bushels potatoes (produce of 21 bushels);
40 bushels turnips; 25 bushels carrots; 20 bushels beets; 20
bushels parsnips ; 10 bushels cucumbers ; 2 bushels melons ;
5 bushels squashes ; 10 bushels Indian corn ; 200 large heads
of cabbage ; 300 small and Savoy cabbages. All these veg-
etables are exclusive of what have been eaten and destroyed
since my arrival.

One of my men having beaten his woman, she went in the
woods with a piece of rope and attempted to hang herself,
which she would actually have done, had she not been dis-
covered just as she was climbing the tree to throw herself
off. Instances of this sort are not uncommon among the
Saulteur women. An old woman belonging to Chamard,*
one of my men at Portage la Prairie, last winter in a fit of
despair hung herself in the woods and was found next day
dead and stiff. This old woman had lost two grown daugh-
ters within a short time ; she lamented them sadly, and one
day, having quarreled with her old man and been beaten,
she put an end to her troubles. I have known on this river
several women who hanged themselves, having lost their
husbands and been ill-used by their relations.

Nov. 1st. Fire running all over the country. X. Y.
ladies busy stealing the gleanings of my potato field.
Tabashaw attempted to fire on my men on Rat river. 8th.
Hard frost. Men arrived from below. Mr. D. was obliged
to build opposite Riviere qui Deboule, on the W. side [thus
at present Dynevor]. He and his men were fired upon by
Indians, but no accident happened.

Nov. Jjth. Red river frozen over. My tame bear making

* Michel Chamard appears as voyageur N. W. Co., Lower Red r., 1804.

PET BEAR — WILLIAM HENRY — VISIT TO LANGLOIS. 253

a hole, apparently desirous of taking up his winter quarters.
I got a place made for him, but he did not like it ; although
snug and warm, he preferred making a place for himself.
He is so tame as to require no care or confinement, but
associates with the dogs, and even follows them and the
men into the plains and woods.

Nov. i8th. Laid up our canoes for the winter.

Nov. igth. William Henry * arrived on horseback from
Fort Alexandria ; continual derouines. Fire raging all over
the plains. 22d. Went to Hair hills; chased a drove of
bulls, fell from my horse, and narrowly escaped being killed
by the bull that turned upon my horse. 2jd. Sent a man
to Riviere la Souris.

Nov. 2^th. I found it necessary to visit a band of Mr.
Langlois' Indians, who were hunting beaver and bear in
the mountain about the sources of Salt river. I set off
with one man on horseback at midnight — light rain and
very dark — most favorable weather to escape the X. Y.,
who were on the watch. At daybreak we met a band of
Assiniboines going to Mr. Langlois with bear's meat, grease,
etc. Plains burned in every direction and blind buffalo seen
every moment wandering about. The poor beasts have all

* Two persons of the identical name are to be distinguished. — William Henry
above said was cousin to our Henry, and at this time a clerk in the N. W. Co.
He was at the lower fort on Swan r., near Lake Winnipegoosis, Oct. 29th,
1801, and no doubt wintered there or thereabouts ; summered at Bird Mountain
fort 1802 ; wintered 1802-03-04 at Fort Alexandria, and summered there 1804;
wintered on Red r., at Sandy Hill r., 1806-07 ; and his post on Red r. was
attacked by Sioux in the summer of 1808. He left for further W. in a year
or two, and was found by Thompson in charge of the N. W. Co. post at Cum-
berland House, July 4th, 1810. He was in charge of a camp or outpost on
Athabasca r. in the winter of 1810-11. While on Canoe r., Sept. 22d, 1811,
Thompson learned that Wm. Henry had crossed the mts. by the Athabasca
portage, and found him with men and goods at Flat Heart r. next day.
Thompson makes Wm. Henry's camp of Oct. 4th, 1811, on Athabascan head-
waters, to be lat. 52° 53' 24" N. ; and Wm. Henry's house of May I2th, 1812,
to be lat. 52° 55' 16" N. We shall find Wm. Henry in chge. of a post on
Willamette r., in Oregon, winter of 1813-14. — William Henry, a hunter in the
service of the N. W. Co., with W. F. Wentzel, at a fort on Mackenzie r.,
starved to death there, winter of 1810-11.

2 54 BURNT BUFFALO—TRIP TO SALT RIVER. .

the hair singed off ; even the skin in many places is shriveled
up and terribly burned, and their eyes are swollen and
closed fast. It was really pitiful to see them staggering
about, sometimes running afoul of a large stone, at other
times tumbling down hill and falling into creeks not yet
frozen over. In one spot we found a whole herd lying
dead. The fire having passed only yesterday these animals
were still good and fresh, and many of them exceedingly
fat. Our road was on the summit of the Hair hills, where
the open ground is uneven and intercepted by many small
creeks running eastward. The country is stony and barren.
At sunset we arrived at the Indian camp, having made an
extraordinary day's ride, and seen an incredible number of
dead and dying, blind, lame, singed, and roasted buffalo.
The fire raged all night toward the S. W.

Nov. 26th. I settled with the Indians and got two good
packs of furs, but our horses were not to be found. 2yth.
I sent Indians out to search for them, but the blusterous
weather had entirely hidden their tracks and they could
not be found. 28th. I set out on foot with my man,
determined to go to Salt river, if I could find it from this
distant part of the mountain. At one o'clock, as we began
to descend the hills, a heavy snowstorm commenced, with
a strong N. W. wind, which drove the snow with great
violence on our left side. Camped below the hills on a
branch of Salt river ; a terrible storm all night. We had
nothing but our capots, and sleep was a stranger ; the night
was passed in shaking off snow. 2gth. At daybreak we
were on our journey; the storm continued and the wind
increased. Saw a large flock of outardes; red deer numer-
ous. At five o'clock we arrived at Salt river; found
Indians camped at the house, all drinking.

Dec. 1st. I refused to give debt to Grande Gueule for a
blanket, as I knew he already owed me more than he could
pay ; he is a notorious scoundrel. On leaving the house
this morning, while I was standing at our door, the fellow
slipped the cover off his gun and fired at me ; the ball

NEWS OF THE N. W. AND X. Y. COALITION. 255

struck one of the door-posts. He then loaded and fired a
second shot, and made off with himself. It would have
been folly to go after him, as the fellow was fully bent on
mischief.

Dec. 2d. Long before day I was on my journey and at
10 p. m. reached Panbian river alone, having left my man
at the Bois Perce, his horse being knocked up. Men con-
tinually en derouine.

Jan. 1st, 180^. An express arrived with a packet from
Montreal, containing sundry circular letters informing us of
the coalition which had taken place.^ It certainly was high

' Between the N. W. and X. Y. companies, as per Montreal agreement of
Nov. 5th, 1804, putting an end to the existence of the X. Y. as a separate
organization. The death of Simon McTavish in July, 1804, rendered this con-
summation possible, as the principal object of Sir Alexander McKenzie's
jealousy and rivalry was thus removed from the scene of action. McTavish
was the head of the firm of McTavish, Frobisher & Co., agents of the N. W.;
he was nicknamed Le Premier and Le Marquis for his haughtiness ; amassed a
fortune, bought the Seigneury of Terrebonne, built a residence in Montreal at
the foot of the mountain, known for 50 years after his death as the haunted
chateau, demolished in 1S60, when the residence of Sir Hugh Allan was erected
on its site. The signers of the convention on the part of the N. W. Co. were :
John Gregory; William Macgillivray; Duncan Macgillivray; William Hallowell;
and Roderic McKenzie — these being bourgeois and also agents of McTavish,
Frobisher & Co., Montreal; and the following wintering bourgeois: Angus
Shaw ; Daniel McKenzie ; William McKay ; John McDonald [of Garth] ;
Donald McTavish ; John McDonnell ; Archibald Norman McLeod ; Alex-
ander McDougall ; Charles [Jean Baptiste] Chaboillez ; John Sayer ; Peter
Grant; Alexander Eraser; ^neas Cameron ; John Finlay ; Duncan Cameron;
James Hughes ; Alexander McKay ; Hugh McGillis ; Alexander Henry,
Junior ; John Macgillivray ; James McKenzie ; Simon Eraser ; John Duncan
Campbell ; David Thompson ; and John Thomson. On the part of the X.
Y. the signers were : (Sir) Alexander McKenzie ; Thomas Forsyth ; John
Richardson ; John Forsyth ; John Ogilvie ; James Forsyth ; John Inglis ; John
Mure ; Alexander Ellice — bourgeois agents of certain firms ; and, as bourgeois
winterers : Pierre de Rocheblave ; Alexander McKenzie ; John McDonald ;
James Leith ; John Willis ; and John Haldane. The convention being made
in November, when the winterers (hivernants) were away, nearly all their signa-
tures were by their attorneys. This important convention continued in force
until 1821, when the famous N. W. Co. finished its career as a separate organi-
zation by absorption into the still more celebrated H. B. Co. — one of the long-
est-lived and most powerful commercial monopolies in the world's history. The

256 REFLECTIONS ON THE SITUATION.

time for a change on this river. The country being almost
destitute of beaver' and other furs, and the Indians increas-
ing in number daily from the Red Lake and Fond du Lac
country, the X. Y. had been lavish of their property, selling
very cheap ; and we, to keep the trade in our own hands,
had been obliged to follow their example. Thus, by our
obstinate proceedings, we had spoiled the Indians. Every
man who killed a few skins was considered a chief and
treated accordingly ; there was scarcely a common buck to
be seen ; all wore scarlet coats, had large kegs and flasks,
and nothing was purchased by them but silver works,
strouds, and blankets. Every other article was either let
go on debt and never paid for, or given gratis on request.
This kind of commerce had ruined and corrupted the
natives to such a degree that there was no bearing with
their insolence; if they misbehaved at our houses and were
checked for it, our neighbors were ready to approve
their scoundrelly behavior and encourage them to mischief,
even offering them protection, if they were in want of it.
By this means the most notorious villains were sure of
refuge and resources. Our servants of every grade were
getting extravagant in their demands, indolent, disaffected

list of N. W. and X. Y. signers is found in Masson, I. p. 89, with several mis-
prints ; it may be checked ibid., II. p. 482 seq., where the important document
appears nearly in full, in English. Those who were present in Montreal and
actual signers appear to have been : Alexander McKenzie ; John Rich-
ardson ; John Forsyth ; John Ogilvie ; John Gregory ; William Macgillivray ;
William Hallowell ; Roderic McKenzie ; the rest being represented by their
attorneys.

' Among the causes of extermination of the beaver must be reckoned a certain
epidemic disease ; thus Tanner, p. 104 : " Some kind of distemper was pre-
vailing among these animals, which destroyed them in vast numbers. I found
them dead and dying in the water, on the ice and on the land ; sometimes I
found one that, having cut a tree half down, had died at its roots ; sometimes
one who had drawn a stick of timber half way to his lodge, was lying dead by
his burthen. Many of them, which I opened, were red and bloody about
the heart. Those in large rivers and running water suffered less ; almost all of
those that lived in ponds and stagnant water, died. Since that year the beaver'
have never been so plentiful in the country of Red River and Hudson's Bay, as
they used formerly to be."

THE MERRY, MERRY MONTH OF MAY. 257

toward their employers, and lavish with the property-
committed to their charge. I am confident that another
year could not have passed without bloodshed between our-
selves and the Saulteurs. This would certainly have caused
a critical situation, as those fellows are all so connected
that to injure one is to injure the whole. Of this I was
well aware, and always avoided pushing matters to extremi-
ties, at the same time not allowing myself to be imposed
upon.

In the month of May all the Indians were camped at our
fort, drinking and making the grand wabbano ; they were as
troublesome and extravagant as usual, the principal cause
of which was my neighbor. Crebassa persisted in telling
them that the report concerning the coalition was false, and
that next year the X. Y. would be stronger than ever, with
double the number of canoes, etc. In this manner he
played the cheat to the last moment, when he was obliged
to send all the remainder of his property, utensils, horses,
and summer men over to my fort, on the embarkation.
The consequence of this mean dissimulation was that he
got himself despised by the natives, and in the end had a
narrow escape for his life from Pegouisse,^ who certainly
would have murdered him had I not interfered.

Fifteen tents of Assiniboines followed Mr. Langlois from
the hills this spring and encamped at my fort with the Saul-
teurs. In the first drinking match a murder was committed
in an Assiniboine tent, but fortunately it was done by a
Saulteur. L'Hiver stabbed Mishewashence to the heart

* No. II of the list, p. 53, no doubt the identical Indian Tanner calls Be-
gwa-is. Thus, p. 161 : " I joined some Red River Ojibbeways, under a chief
called Be-gvva-is, (he that cuts up the beaver lodge.)" Again, " our friend Be-
gwa-is," " a kind, good man," had his no.se bitten off — inadvertently, it would
seem, from Tanner's account, p. 165 — by Tanner's brother, Wa-me-gon-a-biew,
whose own nose had just been bitten off by old Ta-bush-shish. Pegouisse or
Be-gwa-is must have been a stoical as well as a genial philosopher ; for he
" never for a moment betrayed anything like anger or resentment. . . ' I am
an old man,' said he, ' and it is but a short time that they will laugh at me for
the loss of my nose.' "

258 MURDER— WIDOWHOOD — ORPHANAGE.

three times, and killed him instantly. The wife and chil-
dren cried out, and some of my people ran to the tent just
as L'Hiver came out with the bloody knife in his hand, ex-
pecting we would lay hold of him. The first person he
met was William Henry, whom he attempted to stab in the
breast; but Henry avoided the stroke, and returned the
compliment with a blow of his cudgel on the fellow's head.
This staggered him ; but instantly recovering, he made an-
other attempt to stab Henry. Foiled in this design, and
observing several coming out of the fort, he took to his
heels and ran into the woods like a deer. I chased him with
some of my people, but he was too fleet for us. We buried
the murdered man, who left a widow and five helpless
orphans, having no relations on this river. The behavior of
two of the youngest was really piteous while we were bury-
ing the body ; they called upon their deceased father not to
leave them, but to return to the tent, and tried to prevent
the men from covering the corpse with earth, screaming in
a terrible manner ; the mother was obliged to take them
away.**

May 2Sth. Embarked for the Forks. 22d. Sent the
brigade off, and Mr. Harrison. Went on horseback to
Riviere la Souris. Made three trips to Portage la Prairie.
Delayed embarking until June 9th, when I left the Forks
in a light canoe, with six men, and on the 20th arrived at
Kamanistiquia, after a passage of only 12 days. This was
extraordinarily expeditious, and I shall always suppose
that a single well-mounted canoe can make the voyage
in a shorter time than several canoes together. Notwith-
standing all their hurry and bustle, I overtook my brigade
below the last rapids, at the storehouse ; had I been an hour
later, they would have got in before me.

' The seamy side of the fur-trade which Henry shows us with such a steady
hand that we can scarcely follow him with unshaken nerves is simply hell on
earth — hell peopled with no souls above a beaver-skin, fired by King Alcohol
for the worship of Mammon, And worse than anything that has preceded is to
come in the very next chapter — not mere murder by retail, but wholesale slaughter.

NELSON — BETHUNE — CALDWELL.

RETURNS OF LOWER RED RIVER DEPARTMENT, 1804-05.'°

259

Ten Canoes.

2,736 Beavers, 4,000 lbs

187 Black bears

6s Brown do

10 Grizzly do

6go Wolves

188 Foxes, red, silver, and crossed. .

57 Kitts

95 Raccoons

267 Fishers

293 Otters

804 Martens

376 Minks

17 Wolverenes

38 Lynxes

1 18 Dressed moose and biche

336 Shaved parchment do

6,712 Muskrats

40 Buffalo robes

10 Badgers

144 Packs of go lbs each

125 Bags of pemmican, go lbs. each

14 Kegs of beef

10 " tongue

ID " sugar

7 " grease

3 " gum

gCQ

294

59
22

63
6

136

19
6
8

3,800

648
13

188

3
II

1,583

3
60

q7 V
o2

■5 Oh
Q

184

6
3

20
26

4
21

25
100

350
24
16

18
52

200

146

700

03 T3

150
12

267

138

ffi

25
8

4
251

56
26
12

24
8
6

4
25

14
17
10

Q V

160

4
246

91
3'
15
14

4
2

200

a
in '

- . c
>>■— > rt

= ■■§

Sol

829

102

36
25
64

3
44

5
II

95
177

44
14
10
10
7
3

'" The names in this table have all been acccounted for, except : Geo. Nelson
is listed as a voyageur N. W. Co., Lake Winnipeg, 1804, but seems to have
been promoted that year, as we find him in the capacity of clerk this season of
1804-05. The same was in charge of the N. W. Co. house on Moose 1., near
Cumberland House, in Sept., 18 19, when he went to the relief of poor Benja-
min Frobisher, whose tragic end was one of the most shocking in all the annals
of the fur-trade : see the account of his sufferings elsewhere in my notes. — The
only Bethune of whom I have a mem. is Angus, of the N. W. Co., who reached
Astoria with J. G. McTavish and others in Sept., 1813. — James Caldwell, clerk
N. W. Co., went to the Mandans with Charles McKenzie from the Assiniboine,
starting June 4th, 1806, and we shall find him there in due course, when Henry
meets him at Le Borgne's village, July 2ist, 1806.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE PEMBINA RIVER POST, CONTINUED : 1805-06.

mAMANISTIQUIA, July 13th, 1805. Sent off the
Lower Red River brigade. I4.th. Embarked ; my
canoe was loaded with 14 pieces, exclusive of my baggage
and six men. At Little Lake la Pluie I took on board two
pieces more. 31st. Reached the Forks. Sent a man up
the Assiniboine by land.

Aug. 1st. Embarked with a fair wind, which blew a gale
from the N., but kept under sail — about three feet hoisted.
2d. In the afternoon, arrived at Panbian river, having had
an extraordinary breeze all the way. This may be called a
passage of 22 days from Kamanistiquia, and I believe that,
with such lading, it is impossible to perform the voyage in
less time.

Here I received the unwelcome news that the Sioux had
fallen upon a small camp of my Indians on Tongue river,
not many miles from the fort, on the 3d of July, and killed
and taken prisoners 14 persons — men, women, and children.
My beau-pere was the first man that fell, about eight o'clock
in the morning. He had climbed a tree, to see if the bufTalo
were at hand, as they were tented there to make dried pro-
visions. He had n« sooner reached the top than two Sioux
discoverers fired at the same moment, and both balls passed
through his body. He had only time to call out to his
family, who were in the tent about icx) paces from him,
" Save yourselves ! the Sioux are killing us ! " and fell dead
to the ground, his body breaking several branches of the
the tree as it dropped. The noise brought the Indians
out of the tent ; when, perceiving their danger, the women
and children instantly ran through the plains toward an

260

THE TONGUE RIVER MASSACRE. 261

island of wood on Tongue river, about a mile distant, and
on a direct line toward the fort. The men took their arms
and made off also, keeping in the rear of their women and
children, whom they urged on. The four surviving men
had not gone more than a quarter of a mile when they saw
the main body of the war party on horseback rushing down
upon them. Crossing Tongue river, and in a few moments
coming up with them, the Sioux began to fire. The four
men by expert manoeuvres and incessant fire prevented the
enemy from closing in on them, while the women and chil-
dren continued to fly, and the men followed. They were
within about 200 paces of the wood, and some of the most
active had actually entered it, when the enemy surrounded
and fell upon them. Three of the Saulteurs fled in different
directions ; Grande Gueule escaped before they were com-
pletely surrounded, but the other two were killed. The
one who remained to protect the women and children was
a brave fellow — Aceguemanche, or Little Chief ; he waited
deliberately until the enemy came very near, when he fired
at one who appeared to be the chief, and knocked the
Sioux from his horse. Three young girls and a boy were
taken prisoners ; the remainder were all murdered, and
mutilated in a horrible manner. Several women and chil-
dren had escaped in the woods, where the enemy chased
them on horseback ; but the willows and brush were so
intricate that every one of these escaped. A boy about 12
years old, whom a Sioux pursued, crawled into a hollow
under a bunch of willows, which the horseman leaped over
without perceiving him. One of the little girls who escaped
tells a pitiful story of her mother, who was killed. This
woman, having two young children that could not walk fast
enough, had taken one of them on her back and prevailed
upon her sister-in-law to carry the other. But when they
got near the woods and the enemy rushed upon them with
hideous yells and war whoops, the young woman was so
frightened that she threw down the child, and soon over-
took the mother ; who, observing that the child was missing,

262 A SCENE OF HORROR.

and hearing its screams, kissed her Httle daughter — the one
who relates the story — saying, with tears streaming from
her eyes: "Take courage, my daughter! try to reach the
woods — and if you do, go to your eldest sister, who will
be kind to you ; I must turn back and recover your younger
sister, or die in the attempt — take courage — run fast, my
daughter ! " Poor woman ! she actually did recover her
child, and was running off with both children, when she
was felled to the ground by a blow on the head with a war
club. She recovered instantly, drew her knife, and plunged
it into the neck of her murderer ; but others coming up,
she was dispatched. Thus my belle-mere ended her
days.

The surviving man having reached the fort, my people
went out the next day to the field of battle, where a horri-
ble spectacle was presented. My beau-pere's head was
severed from his body even with the shoulders, his right
arm and left foot were cut off, his right leg from the knee
stripped of the skin, and all carried off. In the plain lay
the bodies of the women and children, within a few
yards of one another, and the remains of Aceguemanche,
he who had fought so bravely, lay near his wife and
children. The enemy had raised his scalp, cut the
flesh from the bone, and taken away the skull for a
Avater-dish ; his limbs were severed from his body, and
only the trunk remained, with the belly and breast ripped
up and thrown over the face ; his private parts had been
cut off and crammed into his dead wife's mouth. She
was also butchered in a shocking manner and her children
were dismembered and thrown in different directions.
All the bodies were stuck full of arrows, and there were
found also many old knives, two or three broken guns,
some war clubs, broken bones, etc. The bodies of the other
men were found at the entrance of the woods, butchered in
the same shocking manner. There was a spot of ground
in the long grass near the remains of Aceguemanche, where
it was plain to be seen that a person had fallen from his

A HENRY AND TANNER CONCORDANCE. 263

horse and lay bleeding for some time, but the body of this
Sioux could not be found.'

On my return all was grief and lamentation ; and at sight
of me it broke out afresh with such sobs and cries that I
almost wished I had not been so expeditious on my voyage.
The Saulteurs were assembled, preparing for war and only
waiting for the Assiniboines and Crees to join them ; a
number of Saulteurs are also awaiting them above this
place ; they will form a party of about 300 men, mostly
mounted. I gave them a nine-gallon keg of gunpowder

* Tanner tells the identical story unmistakably, p. 137 seq. We thus get an
exact date to check his narrative, and can even identify some of the Sioux who
fell upon Henry's Indians. Tanner begins with : ' ' After we had killed and
dried large quantities of meat, we erected a sunjegwun, or a scaffold, where we
deposited as much as we thought would supply the wants of our women in our
absence. Before we had entirely finished the preparations for our journey, we
were fallen upon by a war-party of about 200 Sioux, and some of our people
killed." Tanner then speaks of a certain "chief of the Ojibbeways," saying
that " he went up into an oak tree that stood near his lodge, to look out over
the prairie for buffaloe, and in descending he was shot from below by two young
men of the Sioux." " Now," continues Tanner, " the trampling of horses was
heard, and the men who were with the chief had scarce time to run out of the
lodge, when the 200 Sioux, on their horses, were at the door. One of the two
runners who had come forward, and had been concealed in the hazle bushes,
was an uncle of Wah-ne-taw, at present \i. e. , when Tanner was telling the story
to Dr. James, many years afterward] a well-known chief of the Yanktongs, .and
the party was led by his father. Wah-ne-taw himself was of the party, but was
then less distinguished than he has since become." This is the Wanotan of
whom we hear so much in Long, and whose portrait forms the frontispiece of
Keating's Vol. I. 1824. Tanner goes on to say : " The fight continued during
the day ; all the Ojibbeways, about 20 in number, were killed, except Ais-ainse
(the little clam,) a brother of the chief, two women, and one child. Mr. Jf.,
the trader at Pembinah, gave the Ojibbeways a ten gallon keg of powder, and
100 pounds of balls, to pursue after the party that had killed the chief, his
father-in-law." This establishes the identification of the two stories, and we
see that Henry and Tanner corroborate each other in every essential particular.
As to the war party raised to avenge the massacre, Tanner was a member of it,
and tells about it more particularly than Henry does (Sept. 4th and 27th, p.
265). He says it started 400 strong, but that 100 Ojibbeways deserted the first
day out from Pembinah ; and that by the time they reached Lake Traverse, the
number was diminished to about 120 — three half-breed Assinneboins, about
20 Crees, as many Ottawwaws (Tanner's own band, under Peshauba), and the
rest Ojibbeways. His story continues, pp. 140-43, q. v.

264 henry's wife's father's and mother's end.

and 100 pounds of balls, to encourage them to revenge the
death of my beau-pere and his family. At this they said
among themselves that I had " almost as much sense as an
Indian "; and if I had added a few kegs of rum I should
have been considered fully as wise as themselves. This
manner of comparing a white man to an Indian is the
highest compliment they can pay. Let no white man be
so vain as to believe that an Indian really esteems him
or supposes him to be his equal. No — they despise us
in their hearts, and all their outward professions of respect
and friendship proceed merely from the necessity under
which they labor of having intercourse with us to procure
their necessaries.

On the day after my arrival, I went out with Mr. Lang-
lois to view the field of battle, and collected the bones in
a heap. My beau-pere was the only one buried ; his body,
having laid in the shade, was not in such a state of corrup-
tion as those in the plain, exposed to the hot sun. When
my people first came here they could not approach the
bodies to inter them. The wolves and crows, therefore,
answered that purpose. I gathered up the remaining bones
of my belle-m^re in a handkerchief. We followed the Sioux
road until we came to the place where they had stopped to
divide the spoils, put on new shoes, and prepare for flight.
We found the camp very extensive, and by the number of
small painted sticks, such as they generally leave behind
after a fight, we judged the party to have consisted of about
300 men, with a great many horses. Many old, worn-out
shoes were lying about.

I remained at Panbian river until Aug. loth, when I em-
barked and returned to Bas de la Riviere with a cargo of
grease for Lake Winipic. Happening to meet my brigade
just as I neared Pointe au Sable, at the entrance of Wini-
pic river, I unloaded my cargo and returned with them.
Camped at Isle a la Biche ; men raised wattap. Next day
we made the entrance of Red river, and went thence to the
Forks, where we were ten days amusing ourselves, and wait-

WORD FROM THE WAR PARTY. 265

ing for the H. B. people ; for I did not choose to reach my
new quarters before the war party returned and dispersed,
and everyone was settled in winter quarters. This, I knew,
would save me great expenses. We caught great abundance
of sturgeon and all other kinds of fish peculiar to this river
— much more than my people could consume. Wild fowl
were plenty about the entrance of Red river and on Dead
river. Plums were ripe, and the men daily gathered loads
of that delicious fruit.

Au£: 2'jth. We arrived at the Forks, having seen the
H. B. boat in Sault a la Biche.

Aug. 2gth. J. McKenzie of the H. B. Co. passed up the
Assiniboine with three boats, and Thomas Miller with two
boats up Red river, bound for Panbian river, joth. The
Upper Red River brigade arrived, and passed on directly.
We amused ourselves fishing ; and, having ordered a num-
ber of horses down from my place, I kept some of my
people hunting buffalo toward the upper part of Riviere
Sale. I, however, started on the canoes with the outfit for
Portage la Prairie.

Sept. ^th. I received information that the war party
had left Panbian river, all in one body, on the 27th ult.
During our stay here we took a number of excellent white-
fish in our small nets. . The women gathered great quan-
tities of hazelnuts, but the mice made it almost impossible
to preserve them. Chokecherries, wild red cherries, Panbian
plums, grapes, etc., all abound. 21st. Fire set to the
grass in the plains toward the S., we suspect by the war
party. 2'/th. An express arrived on horseback to inform
me they had returned ; but, as I expected, with empty
hands. They had been to Chief mountain and found a
camp of Sioux of 30 tents ; but while preparing to attack
them, the enemy escaped. [Story in full in Tanner, p. 140.]

Sept. 28th. I sent ofY the canoes. 2gth. Reached
Portage la Prairie on horseback.

Oct. 2d. Set off for Panbian river with Le Sueur,^ Hu-
* So copy — no doubt the Toussaint Lesieur already noted, p. 35.

266 ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SEASON.

neau/ and wife. Fire in the plains in every direction ;
burned our horses* feet passing through the smoldering turf.
Slept at Beaulieu's* tent on Sale river, jd. Set off;
camped at the foot of the traverse on this river. Awoke
about 4 a. m. next morning and found six inches of snow
on our blankets. We lay in the open plain, exposed to the
storm, which continued with great violence from the N. E.
At daybreak we took shelter in the woods along the river,
and made a cabin with elm bark ; not a mouthful to eat.
On the 5th the storm had abated, but left nearly a foot of
snow on the ground, with a strong crust, and made it tedious
traveling for our horses. However, I set out. Killed two
buffaloes, and at sunset overtook my brigade at Riviere aux
Marais ; they were starving with cold and hunger.

Oct. 6th. We all arrived at Panbian river, where we
found that the H. B. people were building, and about 80
Indians anxiously awaiting my arrival, in expectation of
getting as much rum as usual ; but they were mistaken. I
immediately drew up an agreement with Mr. Miller ; we
divided our Indians, I taking good care to keep the best
hunters for myself, and settled matters so as to keep them
from cheating us. I turned Tabashaw over to my neighbor,
and positively refused to have anything more to do with
him. On the 7th Indians began to decamp, finding it was

' So copy — no further record found.

■• Beaulieu is a very old name in these annals. A half-breed family of that
name was found on Slave r. when the N. W. Co. first reached it, in or about
1778, showing prior presence of the French so far as this. Fran9ois Beaulieu,
one of that family, born in the region, was one of the six voyageurs who started
with (Sir) A. McKenzie for the Pacific May gth, 1793, from the place where the
party had wintered on Peace r, ; he was baptized by Mgr. Tache in 1848, then
supposed to be over 70 years old, and died Nov., 1872, almost a centenarian. —
The Beaulieu of the text is Joseph, listed as voyageur contre-maitre N. W. Co.,
Lower Red r., 1804. — Basile Beaulieu, from Montreal, was a voyageur N. W.
Co. in 1804-05, at Lac de Flambeau (Torch 1.), Minn. — One Beaulieu, given
also as Bolieu, and never with Christian name, was one of three men under Mr.
Quesnel at the Rocky Mountain house on the Saskatch. r. when Thompson
arrived there, Oct. nth, 1806 ; he went with Thompson into the Rocky mts.,
where we hear of him at various points, 1 807-11.

GOOD RESOLUTIONS— OUTPOSTS — DEAD SIOUX. 26/

in vain to plague me for liquor. They had done their
utmost; some had flattered and even caressed* me, some
had threatened mischief, and others said they would not
hunt; but all to no purpose, as I was determined they
should not taste a drop while they lay idle at the fort,
though I gave them their debts and other necessaries, as
usual. On the 8th I sent off the boats for Grandes
Fourches with eight men, including Messrs. Cr^bassa,
Cadotte, and Le Sueur. This is the only outpost I shall
make on Red river this year. At Portage la Prairie are
two. Mr. Wilkie and St. Germain go to Prairie en Longue ;
Antoine Desjarlaix, to Lac des Chiens [Dog lake] ; and
Mr. L. Dorion and T. Vaudry, to Portage la Prairie. Men
finished gathering potatoes, but the crop has failed owing
to the excessive heat, which scorched everything early in
the season. I had only 400 bushels. On the loth we were
plagued with Grandes Oreilles, Le Premier, as great a scoun-
drel as ever walked, who is here with his band, and very
troublesome. He makes menaces, but to no purpose,
having lost ground with us and been obliged to come to
our measures. /////. The ground was clear of Indians.

Oct. 13th. Some of my people, who were hunting buf-
falo, came upon the remains of the Sioux killed in last
summer's fight, and left by his people in the plains, not far
from the Big island on Tongue river. He had been ar-
ranged with all the ceremonies due to a great war chief,
but the wolves, crows, and vultures had despoiled him of all
the habiliments, feathers, and other decorations. However,

'The hamlet of Deer River, Minn., consists largely of two rival saloons
and some less reputable houses, where the lumberjacks live or resort when not
engaged in their arduous occupations. Liquor is sold openly to Indians in
defiance of law, and it is the express boast of the place that no U. S. marshal
dare show himself there. I remember seeing exactly what Henry describes :
a drunken Indian who had been swaggering and staggering about town till he
had spent his last cent for whisky, groveling in a heap on the ground, hugging
the knees of a man and begging piteously for "just one more drink," with the
maudlin tears streaming down his cheeks. We do not seem to have improved
the Ojibways much between Henry's time and ours.

268 REFORMING INDIANS — DEATH — SEVERAL PERSONS.

they brought me two handsome redstone pipes, two gar-
nished stems, and a small hair-trunk, containing medicines.

Our Indians in the beginning attempted their old tricks,
coming into the houses every two or three days to beg for
free rum, but they were soon convinced there was no longer
an X. Y. Co. to spoil and support them in idleness. They
saw the need of hunting to procure their necessaries, and
accordingly dispersed in places where a few skins were still
to be had, whilst others labored hard to make dried provi-
sions ; thus all went well, and we were little troubled with
them. We obliged them to pay their debts, and not a
drop of rum was given to drink at the fort.

Oct. i6th, ijth. Great snowstorms, with a gale from
the N. E.; an extraordinarily early winter. i8th, Botti-
neau's son, a boy about seven years of age, died of a swell-
ing of the belly and costiveness. An hour before he
expired the swelling disappeared entirely, and we were
in hopes he would recover ; clysters and purges had no
effect whatever. 21st. Joseph Plante ^ arrived from Mon-
tagne a la Bosse. 26th. Pelletier,' Desjardins,* Bos Pang-

* Several of this name, but not quite so many as appear in the lists, because
some are duplicated as La Plante. — Alexis Plante, voyageur N. W. Co., Nepi-
gon, 1804. — Antoine Plante, voyageur N. W. Co., Red Lake Dept., 1804. —
Charles Plante was on Willamette r. , in Oregon, in 1835. — Joseph La Plante
appears as voyageur N. W. Co., Fort Dauphin, 1804 ; the same, as voyageur N.
W. Co., English r. , 1804 ; the Joseph Plante of above text is found with Henry
at Pembina in 1807-08, besides being accounted for this present 1805-06 ;
but Joseph Plante, voyageur N. W. Co., wintered in 1805-06 in the Rat River
country, under orders of David Thompson, who sent him to the old N. W. Co.
house on Reed 1. These four Josephs are apparently two persons, the first and
third being one, the second and fourth another. — Louis Plante, voyageur N.
W. Co., Rat River country, 1804. — Louis Auguste Plante, voyageur N. W.
Co., Fortdes Prairies on the Saskatchewan, 1804. One La Plante, who was on
Peace r. with Thompson in the winter of 1803, is very likely Louis Auguste. —
Pierre Plante, voyageur N. W. Co., English r., 1804.

' The name of this freeman reappears as Antoine Peltier, witness in the
Semple case at Toronto, Oct., 1818 ; very likely the same person as one Peltier
of the N. W. Co., at Pine fort, on the Assiniboine, Oct., 1793. — Jean Baptiste
Pelletier and Louis Pelletier were voyageurs N. W. Co., Nepigon, 1804.

* This freeman was still at Pembina May 12th, 1806. He is probably the

PETER PANGMAN— NEW ARRIVALS. 269

man/ and others, arrived from the Assiniboine— X. Y.
freemen, the first of the kind who ever came to Panbian
river, and as great a nuisance, according to their capacities,
as their former employers. This quarter has hitherto been
free from men of that description, as I made it a rule never
to give a man his freedom in this country on any con-
ditions whatever, and I have always found the benefit of
such procedure.

Oct. jotJi. My Assiniboine chief arrived with a young
Saulteur, Nawicquaicoubeau, who, having been long mar-
ried to an Assiniboine woman, was perfectly well ac-
quainted with their language. They wanted me to send
people to the hills to trade, which I would not do, giving
them many plausible reasons; they were soon satisfied and
promised to bring in their hunt themselves. After the
gates were closed, I gave them a quart of rum ; they drank

same as one Dejadon, given as wintering at Portage la Prairie 1794-95, in
opposition to William McKay of the N. W. Co., and very likely also same as
one De Jardin of the X. Y. Co., mentioned by Thompson in the Reed Lake
country, fall of 1804. No full name appears in any of these instances ; the
surname should also be found as Dujardin.

» Bostonnais Pangman, clerk N. W. Co. in charge of Pembina post when cap-
tured by H. B. Co., Mar. 20th, 1816. The surname is the same as that of Peter
Pangman, one of the most noted characters in the beginnings of the N. W. Co.,
whose restless energies were a large factor in shaping events. He went to Grand
Portage in the spring of 1784, as a member of the company who had a claim to
partnership. But no provision for this having been made in the organization of
the company, he went to Montreal with Peter Pond, who was also dissatisfied, to
persuade Gregory, McLeod & Co. to form with them an opposition company.
Pangman prevailed upon the firm to support him in this enterprise, but Pond
almost immediately withdrew from it, accepted terms of the N. W. Co., and thus
rejoined his former associates. Pangman and John Ross proceeded to estab-
lish a post for G., McL. & Co., at Grand Portage, in the spring of 1785. He
somewhat later went to Fort des Prairies, on the Saskatchewan, and while in
that far West had the honor of being the first white man known to have reached
the Rocky mts., or in sight of them ; for, in 1790, he carved his name on a tree,
and "Pangman's tree" became a historical landmark. Both Thompson and
Henry speak of examining it, many years later. It was a pine which stood on
the Saskatchewan, about 3 m. above the Rocky Mountain house. Pangman
left the company in 1793, bought the seigneury of Mascouche, and settled
there ; he was the father of Hon. John Pangman.

270

DRUNKEN ORGIES.

very quietly. I sat up with them in the hall until ten, when,
desiring Langlois to take care of them, I went to bed.
About two I awoke at the report of a gun in the hall, and
William Henry rushed in to tell me that Nawic. had shot
Duford. I sent him to detain the Indian, and desired
Langlois to come to me. I wished to be informed of the
particulars before going to see the Indian, as I determined
he should pay for it with his life. But Langlois related the
following story : He sat up with them until midnight,
when he went to bed, leaving them quietly enjoying their
liquor. He did not go to sleep, wishing to overhear their
private conversation, and thus learn their real intentions,
as we still doubted whether they would bring their hunt
here or to Riviere la Souris. They conversed first about
hunting and then in what manner they would bring in their
provisions, etc.; then on their war excursion of last fall, and
Nawic. accused the party in general of cowardice, whilst he
boasted of his own bravery and former exploits, saying the
Sioux were only brave in great numbers, and that man to
man they were cowards and old women, who never dared
face a Saulteur. During this discourse they sang their war
songs, recounted their exploits, and performed the man-
oeuvres usual in battle. These repeated exertions so agi-
tated their minds, and the fumes of liquor had taken such
effect, that they were transported to a degree of frenzy.
They could not remain seated on their epishemaunts on the
floor, but attempted to rise up, and, as they supposed, to
fight their battles over again in pantomime. The chief
reeled about for a few moments and then fell dead drunk,
but the other fellow staggered about the hall for some time.
His gun and bow and arrows were lying near him, but he
performed all his antics with his pipe-stem instead of his
weapons. The candle having burned down, and the fire
nearly gone out, the room became dark. Langlois went
outdoors while the Indian was still tumbling about, scarcely
able to stand.

Langlois soon returned, and on entering the room heard

FATAL RESULT. 2/1

the Indian uttering hideous yells and bawling out : "The
bad dogs ! I see them — there they are — come on, friends —
don't flinch — take courage — revenge the death of our rela-
tions ; come on, I say — have at them — fire ! " Langlois
was passing him, when suddenly the gun went off so near
his face as to singe his hair; he heard the Indian fall, but
the darkness prevented his seeing anything. At the same
moment he heard Duford fall in his cabin, calling out, " Oh !
Mr. Michel, I am killed." The Indian as soon exclaimed,
"What have I done? What is the matter?" When the
candle was lighted, Duford was found lying in his room, by
his bedside, weltering in blood ; the Indian was seated with
his head between his legs ; and one of our own guns was
lying upon the floor. It was a fine gun, with extremely
weak springs, and had been known repeatedly to go off in
handling it carelessly. One of my people had been out
shooting pheasants the day before, and returned late in the
evening, after the Indians had begun to drink ; he had
placed this gun inside Duford's cabin, close to the door.
The Indian, although very drunk, on seeing the mischief
he had done fell a-crying and lamenting, assuring the by-
standers that he did not do it intentionally, and that, if they
were of a different opinion, they were welcome to kill him —
he was ready to die — they might strike, as he knew he de-
served death. I then went to Duford and inquired the
particulars ; he related nearly the same story, with this
addition, that the Indian, in tumbling about the hall, had
fallen near his room and pulled down a blanket which
Duford had hung up to serve instead of a door. It was
supposed his hand closed upon the gun by accident, as
Duford said the Indian fell backward into the room. When
the latter had recovered himself and was staggering about
in the dark, Duford got up to fasten the blanket, not a
word having passed between them ; he secured one corner
with an awl, spread out the blanket, and was fastening the
other corner with an awl also, when suddenly the shot was
fired through the blanket. On mature deUberation, I felt

272 DUFORD KILLED.

that I could not punish the fellow with death, as it ap-
peared tome that it was plainly an accident; for had he been
maliciously inclined, he naturally would have used his own
gun, that stood near, primed and loaded with ball. Duford,
who understands the language very well and had not slept
a moment on account of the noise, had overheard the same
conversation which Langlois related. On examining the
wound, I found the shot had entered the groin, making a
hole that appeared to descend along the thigh-bone, so as
not to fracture it ; the whole charge seemed to be lodged in
one mass, about 10 inches deep. From the direction of
the shot it was plain that the gun must have gone off in an
awkward position and not with any premeditated design.
The Indian remained seated upon the earth, entirely naked,
with his head between his legs, every moment expecting to
have his brains knocked out ; but I could not suppose him
guilty of premeditated murder.

Next morning he was perfectly sober, but afraid to see
me ; he sent word, before he went away, that he should
always remember me, and be thankful for the charity I had
done him in giving him his life. He sincerely lamented
the unfortunate affair, and assured me it was not done
designedly. It is true he is a bad Indian who has killed
three of his own relations ; but he never before had hurt
a white man. All that he can recollect is that, when
the gun went off, he imagined himself in pursuit of a
Sioux, with his weapons in his hands. At nine o'clock
on the 31st, they set off, to all appearances sad and sor-
rowful.

This morning the wounded man was very weak from loss
of blood, which could not be stanched till late in the
evening. He sent for me to ask pardon for all his past
offenses, perceiving he was approaching his end, poor fel-
low ! I felt very much for him, and freely forgave him the
few tricks he had played on me.

Nov. ist. This morning the men supposed him much
better and in a fair way of recovering, but from the symp-

cow CAUGHT — ECLIPSE — ORGIES CONTINUED. 273

toms I observed I concluded death was drawing near, and
so hinted to him ; his behavior was truly penitent. At ten
o'clock his senses left him ; he lay in a torpor until 2 p.
m., when he expired without a groan. 2d. We buried the
corpse. 6th. Chased buffalo on horseback with William
Henry ; killed two cows. 8tJi. Assiniboines arrived to
trade, with great ceremonies, flags flying and guns firing.
i^th. A terrible snowstorm ; buffalo passing northward in
as great numbers as ever I saw them, and within 100 yards
of the fort. i8th. The Crees stole four horses.

At daybreak I was awakened by the firing of guns in the
fort. I ran to the window, and pulling the curtains aside,
perceived my people dispatching a cow at the foot of my
gallery. Some of the women, on going out very early, had
neglected to shut the gate when they returned ; and this
cow, in coming from the plains, had fallen upon our meat
road, and followed it until she entered the gate, when the
dogs instantly flew at her and prevented her escape.

Dec. 1st. My men go daily for buffalo meat to the hun-
ter's tent, three miles distant, with 15 to 20 horse travailles,
and return with 30 cows ; in this manner our winter stock
is being rapidly completed. i8th. My library caught fire,
but it was soon extinguished, with the loss only of a few
pamphlets and newspapers.

Jan. ph, 1806. We observed an eclipse of the moon at
half-past four p. m., which continued until nine o'clock.
My cooper began to make quarter-casks for salt beef, and
my wheelwright to make wheels, ^th. Old Wabasha
died of cancer in the neck. We take from 40 to 50 fish
daily.

Feb. gth. Men and women have been drinking a match
for three days and nights, during which it has been drink,
fight — drink, fight — drink, and fight again — guns, axes, and
knives their weapons — very disagreeable.

Feb. ijth. Cautoquoince arrived from above, and in-
formed us that the Americans had landed a party of
soldiers at Leech lake, but he does not know the

274 ARRIVALS — NEWS OF LIEUTENANT PIKE.

particulars.'" Pishawbey " passed on his way to Otter Tail
lake. ijth. Messrs. Chaboillez and A. McGillis arrived
from Fort Dauphin, and Messrs. Wilkie and Dorion from
Portage la Prairie. 26th. The gentlemen off for their
posts. 22d {sic]. Allard '^ and Bottineau returned with
their stolen horses, after a narrow escape from being killed
by the Crees.

Mar. jd. My blacksmith's woman ran away with
Charlo." 8th. Her ladyship very ill, etc. J2th. White
Loon, a Cree boy, died of consumption, aged about 15 years.

Mar. ijth. Roille'* and Descarrie [Descarreau of May
18, 1804] arrived from Leech lake, with letters from Mr.
Hugh McGillis, informing us that a party of American
soldiers had arrived at his place in February last, com-
manded by Lieut. [Zebulon Montgomery] Pike ; their
headquarters were [not] at L'Aile du Corbeau [Crow Wing
river], and their errand was to oblige us to pay the usual
duties at Mackinac for trading in American territories.
lyth. All my people laid up snow-blind, with sore eyes,
occasioned by the continual storms and drifts. 2^th. As-
tonishing numbers of chicken-hawks flying from S. to N.,
very high in the air. Jist. The Indians saw three fallow
deer [Carmcus virginianus], and killed one — the first of
the kind ever seen in this quarter.

'" For all these particulars, see Pike, ed. 1895, p. 152 and following. Lieut.
Pike and Private Miller reached Hugh McGillis' N. W. Co. house on Leech 1.
at lo p. m., Saturday, Feb. ist, 1806, and the rest of the party about 4 p. m.,
Feb. 6th.

" Again an identification to be made with Tanner, who has much to say of
" Pe-shau-ba, who was chief of the band of Ottowwaws, to which I belonged,'*
p. 139. This Peshauba was one of the war party which left Pembina Aug.
27th, 1805, to avenge the stroke the Sioux had made.

" Probably Ambrose Allard, listed as a voyageur N. W. Co., Lower Red r.,
after the fusion of 1804 ; but at the same time there was a Pierre Allard on
Lake Winnipeg.

'^ So copy : but the only Charlo to whom we have hitherto been introduced
was dying on p. 161, dead on p. 167, and duly lamented on p. 168.

'"This is the man Pike names " Reale" at date of Feb. 2ist, 1806, in his
itinerary, p. 174 of the ed. of 1895 : see also there, p. 928.

EXPRESS — DEATH OF HUGHES. 275

Apr. ^th. My man finished two new carts and made a
wheelbarrow. nth. The North West Annual Winter
Express arrived from Athabasca. L'Hiver hamstrung his
young wife to prevent her gossiping about ; the rascal cut
the tendons of both heels, and made several gashes across
the wrist, while she attempted to defend herself. 12th.
Express off for Leech lake, with William Henry and four
men. Men making blockhouses, i^th. Dreadful snow-
storm. 2jd. Ice broke up in Red river.

May 1st. Great banks of snow still lying on the edge
of the woods. This certainly has been the most extraordi-
narily cold and stormy weather I have ever experienced on
Red river, ^th. A deluge of rain ; our stores flooded, and
the property damaged, ^th. M. Langlois and Lambert
came with a cart for the remains of the deceased Boriif to
bury at the fort, being a particular of his relations \sic\ gtJi.
Buffalo grazing in abundance westward, nth. Boats arrived
from Grandes Fourches — Mr. Crebassa. i^tJi. Sowed pota-
toes, i/j-th. One of the H, B. boats off, taking 40 pieces for
me to the Forks ; sent one of my boats also, with the first
trip of 122 bags of pemmican. I sowed three quarts of
oats. i8th. Mr. Miller off with all his H. B. people.
Mosquitoes very numerous. 2^d. William Henry arrived
from Leech lake, with a cargo of sugar. Indians all
camped. Pishaubey arrived with Washegamoishcam in
two wooden canoes from Pelican river [branch of Red
river], with 300 beavers and 40 prime otters. They had
seen Sioux repeatedly, but always avoided them. 26th.
Assiniboines arrived and camped. 28th. Red Lake Indians
arrived — Grand Noir and his son-in-law, the scoundrel who
killed one of our men last spring, at Red lake — an Amer-
ican named Hughes. The Indian came on purpose to kill
George Simpson, who was in charge. Hughes, who was
standing by the door, saw that the Indian was inclined to
do mischief. He therefore caught up a tent-pole and
gave the fellow a blow on the head, which staggered him ;
but the Indian, on recovering himself, shot Hughes dead.

276 FROM PEMBINA TO BAS DE LA RIVIERE. .

This was the second affair of the kind at this place, two
years in succession ; in each, an Indian intended to kill the
master, but the blow fell upon another man. Grand Noir
brought a paqueton [bundle] of beavers, to induce me
to show charity to his son-in-law. All the principal men
in camp came with him, but the murderer was not to be
found. I kicked the skins out of the house and would
Hsten to none of their speeches, telling them that if I could
see the murderer he would be a dead man, and that no
number of skins could pay for the blood of one of our
murdered servants.

This day I sent off my boats and canoes for the Forks,
so heavily loaded they could scarcely swim. 2gth, I
embarked, leaving William Henry, Mr. Langlois, and four
men at the fort. Dreadful numbers of mosquitoes.
Arrived at the Forks. Upper Red River brigade passed.

June 1st. Went to Portage la Prairie to settle that place ;
left there Mr. D. [L. Dorion] and T. [Toussaint Vaudry]
and two men. 3d. Returned to the Forks. 4.th. Played
with J. McKenzie of the H. B. Co., with drum, fife, etc.,
and drank out a ten-gallon keg of brandy. 5th. H. B. Co.
off in three boats ; in the afternoon we embarked also. 8th.
Arrived at Bas de la Riviere and camped at the Gallois above.

June gth. The Upper Red River canoes passed ; H. B.

Co. boats also.

June loth. Sent off my canoes for Kamanistiquia ; 5 men
and 22 sacks per canoe; passengers: Messrs. Alexander
Wilkie, John Crebassa, Antoine Desjarlaix, Joseph St. Ger-
main, Augustin Cadotte, Toussaint Le Sueur, and Pierre
Bonza; Jean Baptiste Lambert, guide; four taureaux *'
per canoe, and one for the passengers.

'5 Raw-hide bags to hold about 80 pounds of pemmican ; also, such a quantity
of pemmican. The taureau or " bull " may have been so called, as made of buf-
falo hide, or perhaps for the same reason that a certain mass of iron, or a
certain kind of steamboat, is called a " pig." " I cut off 20 sacks or taureaux
to put pemican in, and gave them to Minie to sew," says McDonnell, Jan.
14th, 1794, in Masson, I. p. 287. Compare note *«, p. I73-

VARIOUS BRIGADES EN ROUTE. 277

June nth. Lake Winipic brigade passed — seven men
per canoe. I returned to Bas de la Riviere in a small boat,
with Plante and Hamel.

June ijth. Messrs. Ferguson '* and Campbell off in a
boat in the lake.

June lyth. Messrs. McLeod " and J. McKenzie " arrived
in two canoes from Athabasca.

" Alexander Ferguson or Farguson appears as an employee of the N. W. Co.,
in 1799 ! probably not the Mr. Ferguson above said. — " Mr." Ferguson of the
N. W. Co. arr. at Fort Alexandria, Sept. ist, 1804, from Fort Dauphin,

"Archibald Norman McLeod, who became a personage in the N. W. Co.
Thompson names "Archibald McCloud" as elk. N. W. Co., " for Montreal,"
at Grand Portage, July 22d, 1797 ; he also notes that " Mr. McCloud" arrived
at Sault Ste. Marie with Alex. McKenzie, May 26th, 1798, left June ist, and
arrived at Grand Portage June 7th. He was a proprietor, Fort Dauphin Dept.
in 1799, and in charge of Swan River Dept. in 1800. He left Encampment
isl. in Lake Winnipegoosis, Sept. ist, 1800, to go to Lac Bourbon (present
Cedar 1., on the Saskatchewan), returned Sept. 6th, and started next day for
Swan r. He wintered 1800-01 at Fort Alexandria on the Assiniboine, and
was at the N. W. house on Swan r., May 20th, 1801, en route to Grand Por-
tage. He returned to Fort Alexandria, Sept. 27th, 1801. (See these dates in
Harmon, who says that Alexander McLeod, half-breed son of A. N. McLeod,
by a Rapid Indian woman, was in his fifth year in July, 1801). He wintered
there or thereabouts, and on May 17th, 1802, passed Bird Mountain fort, en
route to Grand Portage, and expected to go to the Athabasca Dept. next.
Doubtless he did so, as Harmon speaks of addressing a letter to him there,
Jan. 27th, 1803. On July 12th, 1805, he was en route frorn Kaministiquia to
Athabasca ; in July, 1807, he was en route from Athabasca to Kaministiquia.
He passed Fort Dunvegan on Peace r. Oct. 7th, 1809, en route across the
Rocky mts. to New Caledonia (British Columbia).

From the foregoing is to be distinguished Alexander McLeod, who was also
in the Athabasca region for some years. His activities appear to be of earlier
date than those of A. N. McLeod. " Mr." McLeod wintered at Fort Chipe-
wyan, 1789-90, continuing the building. Alex. McLeod was found by Thomp-
son on the Missinipi June r3th, 1797, en route for Grand Portage, and July
20th, 1797, on the Height of Land near that place. " Mr." McLeod arrived at
Grand Portage July 2d, 1798, from Athabasca or English r., left for Athabasca,
July loth, left Rainy Lake house July 23d, left Winnipeg house July 31st, and
was on the Missinipi Aug. 25th, 1798. "A." McLeod was at the fort near
the forks of Peace r. Jan., 1803, and went below with Mr. Stuart, May 6th, 1803.

'* James McKenzie of the N. W. Co. — distinguish from J. McKenzie
of the H. B. Co., with whom Henry had such a good time, June 4th. See
note '*, p. 216.

278 BLONDIN — JOHN M'DONALD OF GARTH.

June 20th. Blondin '' came with six canoes from Peace
river. On the same day, also, Mr. John McDonald" and

'3 Of the N. W. Co. ; his first name appears on none of my memoranda.
One Blondin is mentioned by Thompson on the Saskatchewan, 1800. Blon-
din's house is given by Thompson as on the W. end of Lesser Slave 1., winter
of 1803-04 (not to be confused with Blondish's or Blondishe's house on the
Assiniboine below Portage la Prairie, 1794).

'"' There were at least two of this name (besides two persons named John
McDonnell). Each signed the Montreal agreement of Nov. 5th, 1804, by his
attys., one on the part of the N. W, Co., the other on the part of the X. Y.
Co. Both thus became of the N. W. Co., both were in the far Northwest at
the same time, and it is not easy to separate their blended records for a few
years. John McDonald of Garth, as he came to be known, stands out con-
spicuously through his Autobiographical Notes, 1791-1816, in Masson, II. 1890,
pp. 1-59. These are of extreme interest and historical value ; unfortunately
they are the reminiscences of a very old man (dated Mar. 26th, 1859), and,
besides being diffuse, are so confused in dates that they can hardly be relied
upon within a year or two, particularly during the very years that they are most
blended with the record of the other John McDonald — say 1805-11, during
which period they require to be checked by other records. But it does not
appear that John McDonald of Garth was ever on Athabasca r. ; and there-
fore Henry's mention is undoubtedly of the other John McDonald, late of the
X. Y. Co. — unless we assume that the name is in error for John McDonnell.

The following memoranda from the Thompson MS. may serve to check some
dates : John McDonald, clerk N. W. Co., went with James Hughes to Fort
George on the Saskatchewan in 1797; was there Sept. i8th, 1798. John
McDonald arrived with Thompson at Fort George at 8 a. m., Sept. 5th, 1799,
and started for Fort Augustus next day. John McDonald was at Cumber-
land House Sept. dth-gth, 1804. John McDonald was on Riviere Maligne June
25th, 1805, en route from Slave 1. John McDonald wintered at the Rocky
Mountain house and in that vicinity on the Saskatchewan, 1806-07 I started
for Fort Augustus Feb. 19th, 1807. "J." McDonald was at Lower Terre
Blanche or White Mud house on the Saskatchewan, in Sept., 1811, and " Jo "
McDonald was at Thompson's Kootenay house on the Columbia in Nov., 181 1.

John McDonald of Garth, nicknamed " Bras Croche," from a deformity of
the arm from an accident in childhood, was a small maimed person of great
courage and immensely effective energies. He was a Scotch Highlander, b.
1774, came to Canada 1791, Quebec June 1st, left Lachine about June 15th, and
wintered 1791-92 under Angus Shaw at the house built by the latter in 1789
on Lac d'Orignal, Beaver River waters ; came in to Grand Portage 1792, and
wintered 1792-93 at that Fort George which Shaw had built on the Saskatch-
ewan in 1792. He was back and forth, 1793-99, wintering at Fort George for
the most part, but also at that Fort Augustus on the Saskatchewan which
Shaw built in 1798. He became a partner in the N. W. Co. in 1799
or 1800; left Grand Portage July 15th, 1800 (see Harmon, p. 43), win-

JOHN OF GARTH AND OTHER M'DONALDS. 279

Mr. Decoigne" arrived with a brigade consisting of six
Athabasca river canoes.

tered 1800-01 on the upper Saskatchewan, and summered 1801 with Ducoigne
at Fort Augustus. In 1802 he built the Rocky Mountain house on the Sas-
katchewan, near the mouth of the Clearwater. In 1803 he came in to Fort
William (Kaministiquia), Daniel McKenzie was sent in his place, and he went
to Montreal "after an absence of 12 or 15 years," he says, and also to Boston,
Mass. In 1804 he was ordered to take the English River Dept. in place of
Donald McTavish, and wintered at Isle a la Crosse, 1804-05 (at this point in
his Notes he mentions the other John McDonald as taking Daniel McKenzie's
place with James Hughes on the upper Saskatchewan). In 1805 he returned
to the Saskatchewan, went up the south fork to the mouth of Red Deer r.,
built New Chesterfield house there, and wintered 1805-06. In 1806 we find
him at Montreal, sick. In 1807 he took charge of the Red River Dept. in
place of " Big " McDonnell ; had as assistant Alex McDonnell; built Fort
Gibraltar at the site of present Winnipeg ; wintered 1807-08 on the Qu'Ap-
pelle, at the house where " Big " McDonnell had been for some years, and came
in to Fort William, 1808. Hearing that Thompson was in trouble in the
Rocky mts., he organized an expedition for his relief, which included George
J. McTavish, a Mr. McMillen, and the bold guide, Joseph Paul, "an old
bully." He got into the mountains, and certainly wintered ; but whether this
was 1808-09, or 1809-10, or both, is obscure; he says at this point that he
has " been blending two seasons in one," and also that he got out of that
country in the spring of 1810; but he nowhere accounts for 1811 : compare
Thompson's mention of " J." and " Jo" McDonald, fall of 1811. He was
at Fort William in 18 12 ; left in the schooner Beaver : went to Quebec ; left
in the Isaac Todd, for England ; left London in her for the Columbia r. Feb.,
1813 ; off Rio Janeiro changed to the ship Essex, and later to the ship Rac-
coon, Capt. Black, which reached Astoria Nov. 30th, 1813. Astoria thereupon
became Fort George, which he left Apr. 4th, 1814, with the overland party
which included Gabriel Franchere, John Stuart, Donald McKenzie, etc. He
made the Rocky Mt. house on the Athabasca r. May 17th ; was at mouth of
Pembina r., a branch of the Athabasca, June ist ; went up the Pembina and
over to Fort Augustus on the Saskatchewan, which he descended and was at
Fort William in July, 18 14. He went to Montreal, left the N. W. Co. in 18 16,
and settled at Garth, Gray's cr., Glengary Co., where he died, aged 86: seep. 762.

Some other McDonalds may be conveniently noted here : Alexander
McDonald is listed as voyageur N. W. Co., 1804, Lake Winnipeg. —
Allen McDonald was a clerk N. W. Co., 1804, Fort Dauphin. — Angus
McDonald, brother of John of Garth, has been before mentioned ; he is also
noticed by Henry at Pembina, 1807-08. — Peter McDonald appears as voyageur
contre-maitre N. W. Co., 1804, Red Lake Dept. — Finan or Finnan McDonald,
clerk N. W. Co., was with Thompson at various places on the upper Saskatch-
ewan, in the Rocky mts., and on headwaters of the Columbia, 1806-12.

*' Francois Decoigne or Ducoigne, of whom we have record as clerk N. W.

28o DECOIGNE — M'GILLIS — HALCRO — CATFISH RIVER.

June 2ist. Messrs. A. McGillis, Halcro," and others ar-
rived from Fort Dauphin with 5 canoes. At twelve o'clock
I embarked, and camped at Catfish river."

June 26th. Entered Red river with 26 small canoes —
men, women, and children repairing here for the summer to
live on fish. Indians sowing corn and potatoes at Dead

ABSTRACT OF PIECES FOR NORTHWEST OUTFIT, KAMANISTIQUIA, 1805.

Canoes.

Pieces.

Provisions.

Total.

Athabasca

5
8

5
9
8

S
13

.1
14
4
3
5
2

864

70
149

72
193

95
217
205
119
272
200
299
268

lo%

461
46
91

59
73
65
48K

166

188

134
42
32
82
26

i>325

116

Knglish River

240

Rat River

124

Upper Fort des Prairies

278K

Lower Fort des Prairies

154

Upper Red River

290

Lower Red River ,

270

i67j^

388

Lac la Pluie

270

Nepigon

487

402

Michel Cadotte, La Pointe

123

Montreal River

102 J^

LePic

160

Lac des Chiens and Lac Mille Lacs

156

3,2905^

I1771

5,061^

Note. — The corn is included in the provisions.

Co., 1798-1808 at least ; John McDonald of Garth has much to say of him.
Thompson notes him at Fort George, with John McDonald and Mr. Jerome,
Sept. i8th, 1798. In 1799 he was in the Upper Fort des Prairies and Rocky
Mt. Dept. ; in 1804, in the Athabasca Dept. ; in 1808, we shall hear more of
him in Henry. — On May ist, 1799, on the Athabasca, at mouth of Red Deer
r. , Thompson directed " Mr." Ducoigne to build at mouth of Lesser Slave r.
In May, 1814, " Mr." Decoigne was in charge of the Rocky Mountain house on
the Athabasca, and went with the Franchere party to Canada ; he is said to have
been that way 19 years before. In 1818 one Decoigne was an old N. W. Co.
man who had joined the H. B. Co., and was acting agent of the latter in the
Athabasca Dept. These records all seem those of one person. The name
also appears as De Quoine, and by misprint De Qoiue.

'' The correct name, whose oddity marks it. Mr. Halcro had been of the
X. Y. Co. before the fusion of 1804. Thompson speaks of him as such, and
mentions that he left Cumberland House June 22d, 1805, as passenger in a
N. W. Co. canoe for Kaministiquia. Henry has more to say of him beyond.

"^^ Present Brokenhead r., falling into the S. E. end of Lake Winnipeg : see
note *•, p. 40. So Henry is not going in to Kaministiquia this year. He has
turned about, en route back to his post at Pembina.

EN ROUTE BACK TO PEMBINA.

281

river. Water extraordinarily high and continued storms,
which breed an incredible number of mosquitoes ; obliged
to have large kettles constantly smoking in our boat to keep
them away.

RETURNS OF LOWER RED RIVER DEPARTMENT, 1805-06.

Eight Canoes.

1,621 Beavers, weighing 2625 lbs

125 Black bears

49 Brown bears

4 Grizzly bears

862 Wolves

509 Foxes, black, silver, red, and cross

152 Raccoons

322 Fishers

214 Otters

1,456 Martens

507 Minks

45 Wolverenes

469 Dressed moose and biche

78 Parchment and shaved do

12,470 Muskrats

74 Buffalo robes

I Beaver robe, 7 skins

126 Packs 26

6 Packs

132 Packs

23s Bags of Pemmican

3,000 lbs. Beat meat

14 Kegs grease

5 Kegs sugar

24 Kegs beef packed in casks

6 Kegs tongues

5 Kegs gum

1 Keg salt

2 Kegs small bosses [?]

.2
o ta

Q o

116
42
25
I
81
75
14
66
36

532
93
20

222

10,865

12
3,000

rt <5

103

5
4

400

130

13
1,428

c
3
o

- a,

i I

284

13
2

44
23
249
108

17
39

3
o

342
24

310
171

75
59
27

4
35

7
7
9
6

4
3

e 'Jo
V a

776
51

533

256

63
140
102
271
141

10
179

109

S
58

188

10
3

24
6

I
3

£3A(>2 IS. 5d. H. Cy.

" " Ft. Wasp Mount." appears to be an error of the copy, correction of
which escapes me. On Oct. 8th, 1806, we are told in text that Mr. Wilkie and
J. St. Germain were to go to Prairie en Longue.

" An interpolation which I cannot adjust for the printer, and therefore strike
out, states that 200 wolves, 120 kitts, 40 badgers, and 20 skunks, were bartered
with Thos. Miller of the H. B. Co. for pemmican. These appear to have
made the 5 packs Henry reports from Pembina (where Miller was); which, with
the one in the same line Crebassa brought from Grand Forks, make the 6 of
the left-hand column ; other packs, 126 ; total packs, 132.

282

CENSUS OF 1805 — RETURNS OF 1806.

July jd. At midnight we arrived at Panbian river.

REPORT OF NORTHWEST POPULATION, l805.

Dbpartments.

Athabasca

Athabasca River

English River

Rat River

Fort des Prairies

Fort Dauphin

Upper Red River

Lower Red River

Lake Winipic

Lac la Pluie

Fond du Lac

Nepigon

Kamanistiquia |

Mille Lacs and Lac des >

Chiens )

Le Pic

AMK Co. Men & Co.»» . . .

Whites.

Indians.

Men.

Women.

Children.

Men.

Women.

208

[Not

given.]

211

380

,36

103

4.823

13.632

1,170

1,200

160

190

III

103

141

128

■449

784

238

283

1,090

368

569

7.502

16.995

520

1,610

405

600

7.502

16,995

Children.

66
1,100

150
45.906

31
2,500
250
194
19s
1,944
299

178
58

52,871

52.871

NORTHWEST RETURNS OF OUTFIT OF 1805, RECEIPTED AT KAMANISTIQUIA, 1806.

Northwest Country :

Athabasca and Salt \sic — qu: Slave?] Lake,

Athabasca River, .

English River, .

Rat River,

Fort des Prairies,

Fort Dauphin,

Upper Red River,

Lower Red River, .

Lake Winipic,

Lac la Pluie, .

Lac Mille Lacs,

Lac des Chiens,

Kamanistiquia, .

Packs.
297

96
116

80
156
126
127
102

'^ In this census the Indian wives and half-breed children appear to be
enumerated as "whites"; there were no white women in the country. The
large figures for " Fort des Prairies" would appear to include the whole upper
Saskatchewan region ; there was more than one establishment so called.
"AMK Co. Men & Co." is puzzling; but the monogram makes the letters
A. M. K., initials of Alexander McKenzie ; and the X. Y. Co. was sometimes
known as "Alexander McKenzie and Co." Furthermore, Henry often alludes
to a man and his family as such a one " and Co." I imagine, therefore, that
the phrase means simply the X. Y. Co. men and their wives and children. The
table is interesting as indicating the percentage of men who took Indian wives.

RETURNS OF 1806, CONTINUED. 283

Northwest Lake Stiperior : Packs.

Lake Nepigon, 44

Lac des Isles, . 5^

Monontagua, 5°

Le Pic 86

Michipicotton and Batchewoinan Bay, .... 64

South Lake Stiperior :

Fond du Lac 182

Folle Avoine, ........ 44

La Pointe, ......... 7^

Montreal River 64

2,253
McKenzie River Outfit of 1804 (Returns received at

Kamanistiquia in 1806), .... . . 79

Total Returns (packs of 90 pounds each), . . 2,332

Contents of the above 3,233 packs (returns from McKenzie River not being in-
cluded, as they belong to 1804), viz. :

Large Skins. Small Skins. Pounds.

Fine Beavers, . . 23,438 11,402 41.830

Common Beavers, . . 25,319 13.438 49.432

48,757 24,840 91,262

Beaver Coating, 3.565

73,597 Beaver Skins, 94.827

3,903 " " 5,204

77,500 " " 100,031

51,033 Muskrats.
40,440 Martens.
4,011 Fine Otters.
2,132 Common Otters.
4,328 Minks.
2,268 Fishers.
1,131 Loup-cerviers.
1,591 Large Black Bears.
529 Cubs, "
272 Large Brown and Grizzly Bears.

53 Cubs, " "
290 Large Bears, damaged and staged.
65 Cubs, "
4,065 Deer Skins.
3,497 Dressed Orignal Skins.
2,508 Kitts.
4,502 Wolves.

284 RETURNS OF 1806, CONTINUED.

582 Wolves, bad.

745 Raccoons.

798 Carcajoux.
1,746 Red and Cross Foxes.
26 Silver Foxes.

173 Dressed Cariboux Skins.

906 Deer Skins, damaged, and Biche Skins, staged.

323 Parchment and Shaved Orignal.
1,135 Buffalo Robes.

Trade by Mailloux [Milieux .?] at A'amanistiguia , 1806 :
130 Beavers.
2 Black Bears.

2 Black Bear Cubs.

1 Brown Bear.
166 Martens.

6 Loup-cerviers.

8 Fishers.
4 Foxes.

9 Minks.

3 Wolves.
10 Raccoons.

66 Muskrats.

6 Parchments.

2 Doe Parchments.

38 Does and Cariboux, dressed.
218 Orignals, dressed.
248 Buffalo Robes,

4 Leather Capots.

68 Feathers (pounds of).

Mithipicotton Trade, 1806 :

2,766 Beaver Skins, weighing 3,288 pounds.
3,893 Muskrats.
4,058 Martens.
36 Otters.
8 Minks,
369 Loup-cerviers.
75 Large Black Bears.
2 Cubs. "
2 Large Brown Bears.
2 Cubs, "

67 Bears, damaged or staged [?],
I Wolf.

114 Raccoons.
48 Foxes, Red, Cross, and Silver.

Kamanistiquia, Aug, 19th, 1806,

CHAPTER IX.

THE MANDAN TOUR: 1806.

ynVONDAY, July 7th, 1806. During the three days
•^"•^ since my arrival from Bas de la Riviere, I made
the necessary preparations for my intended journey, and
this morning left Panbian river with two men, Joseph Du-
charme and Michel Forcier. Mr. William Henry goes with
us to Portage la Prairie for a supply of tobacco. We were
all well mounted, and had an extra horse for my baggage.
At the Grand Marais we met Vieux Collier [Old Necklace]
going to the fort with a load of dried provisions. At ten
o'clock we crossed Riviere aux Marais, unloaded, and
allowed the horses an hour to eat and refresh themselves,
after which we remounted and proceeded. We were
plagued with clouds of mosquitoes. I had made a kind of
mask of thin dressed caribou ' skin, to cover the head and
face, and thus was more at ease than my companions, who
could scarcely defend themselves from these troublesome
insects. The traveling was tedious from the heavy rains,
which made ugly and laborious walking for our horses.
The soil is a stiff black mold, through which the rain does
not soon penetrate; but when it is once thoroughly soaked,
the water cannot drain off as it does in more elevated plains.
In many places we found several feet of water ; every little
hollow formed a pond, and every rivulet appeared like a
river. Our horses often sunk up to their knees in mud,
and at times had water up to their bellies. The rivulets
we swam over on horseback, carrying on our heads such
articles as we wished to keep dry. At two o'clock we came
to Plumb river, and were obliged to make a long circuit in
the plains, before we could find a convenient place to swim

' The American woodland reindeer, Rangifer caribou or R. tarandus.

285

286 OJIBWAY CAMP ON SCRATCHING RIVER.

•

it. Soon after three o'clock we came to Riviere aux Gra-
tias, up which we went to the forks, where we sighted the
Saulteur camp, consisting of nine large cabins, on the N.
side of the river, in the plains. The water was very high,
but the Indians had canoes, in which we got over. They
were in great expectation that I had brought them some
liquor ; but they were disappointed, as I had nothing but
tobacco to offer them. They have been tented here since
June the nth, living on buffalo. Cows there are none, and
even bulls are scarce. The last time I saw these people
they promised me to summer on the E. side of Red river,
where the moose and red deer are numerous, and some
beaver also. They attempted to go there, but found the
country almost entirely overflowed, which obliged them to
return to the plains in search of buffalo. They had
planned to go to the Missouri, to purchase horses. I
endeavored to persuade them to the contrary, and advised
them to make as much provisions as possible, for which
they would receive liquor, ammunition, and tobacco, at
my fort. This advice they did not much relish, but wished
me to alter my course, and go with them. They proposed
to go by way of Lac du Diable [Devil's lake, N. Dak.],
across the Hair hills, having got some Assiniboines to
guide them. They would start in five days, if I would
remain and go with them. Their party consisted of over 40
men. They did all in their power to discourage me from
going by way of Portage la Prairie and Riviere la Souris,
saying the route to the Assiniboine was impracticable, as
some of them had lately been hunting in that direction,
and found it impossible to get through with their horses.
However, when I persisted in my plan, several expressed a
wish to accompany me, even by that route ; and I had
much trouble to dissuade them.

Our course from Panbian river to this place was about
N.; the distance about 10 leagues. We passed a very
uncomfortable night ; the weather was sultry, with thun-
der, lightning, and rain, and the mosquitoes were intoler-

GRAND PASSAGE OF THE ASSINIBOINE. 28/

able. The women closed the openings of the cabins, and
made a smudge inside, but to no purpose ; it only made
matters worse by choking us with the bitter smoke. If we
covered our heads, we were suffocated with heat ; if we
remained uncovered, we were choked with smoke and
mosquitoes. I, therefore, thought best to get out of doors,
but was then in danger of being trampled to death by the
horses, which surrounded the cabins to enjoy the smudge.
When, to our great joy, daylight appeared, we instantly
collected our horses, and proceeded on our journey.

July 8th. I believe some of the Indians would have fol-
lowed us, had it not rained. I was not desirous of their
company. They would have been more plague than service
to me, and had any accident happened to them, the blame
would have fallen on me. The mosquitoes continued so
troublesome that it was only with difficulty that we could
keep our horses from throwing themselves down and rolling
in the water, to get rid of those cursed insects. Soon after
leaving camp we came to the traverse, an open level
meadow, about six leagues across to Riviere Sale. On this
plain the traveling was very bad ; our horses always had
mud over their hoofs, and often water up to their bellies.
At nine o'clock the weather cleared up, and a strong breeze
gave us relief from the mosquitoes.

At eleven o'clock we came to the Sale, where we were
obliged to swim our horses. We allowed them two hours
to eat and rest, when we saddled and proceeded through a
country overgrown with small poplars and willows, with
small meadows at intervals ; we passed through three
abominably ugly mashquegies,' in which our horses were
nearly knocked up. The heat was intolerable — I sincerely
believe it was the hottest day I ever experienced in the
North West.

At four o'clock we happily reached the Assiniboine, at the
Grand Passage [in present St. Charles parish], three leagues

* Spelled in uncounted ways, but now usually muskeg. It means a bog or
morass.

288 WHITE HORSE PLAINS.

or more above the Forks [Winnipeg]. The uncommonly
high water obliged us to make a raft to transport our baggage
and equipments to the N. side. One of our party, who
could not swim, we placed upon the raft, and set adrift.
William Henry and I, and the other man, took to the water
upon our horses. William, supposing himself an expert
swimmer, let go his horse, and nearly paid dear for his
imprudence ; a severe cramp took him in the feet, and it
was with much difificulty he reached the shore. Having all
three got over, we left our horses to feed, whilst we went
down river in search of the raft, which the strong current
had carried much further than we supposed it would have
done, and it was some time before we could reach it. This
was very disagreeable. We were entirely naked, so that the
mosquitoes had their pleasure with us, and having no
shoes, it was only with great pain that we could walk in the
sharp-pointed grass. We found the man on the raft wait-
ing for us, and lost no time in dressing.

Having saddled, we proceeded up the Assiniboine, our
course being about W. until eight o'clock, when we camped
at White Horse plains.' Our horses were much fatigued by
the heat and bad roads. We passed a very uncomfortable
night, hot and sultry, with clouds of mosquitoes which so an-
noyed us that we took no supper. It was impossible to sit

3 " There is a tradition amongst the French half-breeds that the White Horse
Plain, about 15 miles up the Assiniboine from Winnipeg, receives its name from
a white horse which roamed around in that district many years ago, and which
could not be apprehended, though many persons had endeavored to capture
him. I received this tradition from a French trader some years ago when travel-
ing in the Saskatchewan country, but cannot vouch for its authenticity," Bell,
/. c. No doubt a white horse could run wild on these plains as well as any
others ; but one who could vouch for the tradition might do the same for Death
on the pale horse, the headless horseman, the enchanted white fawn that could
only be killed with the magic bullet, and similar myths. The story probably
started in some aboriginal superstition or "medicine." The place is in the
vicinity of Headingly, a town on the N. bank of the Assiniboine, near where
the S. W, branch of the C. P. Ry. now crosses. The name is perpetuated in
White Plains, a station on the N. P. and Manitoba R. R. next above Head-
ingly sta., S. of the river.

FOURNIER PRAIRIE — ROAD TO SHOAL LAKE. 289

anywhere out of the smudge, although nearly suffocated by
it, and while lying down we were in continual danger of our
horses treading on us, as the night was dark, the poor beasts
could not eat, and were continually crowding in the smoke.

July gth. Fine weather, but excessively warm. We
mounted and left, directing our course N. W., to avoid
some large marais and low meadows which lie along the
river near Prairie a Faurneer,* and which we supposed were
overflowed — the mosquitoes tormenting us as usual. Our
horses, which had little rest last night, were almost ungov-
ernable, tearing up the grass, throwing their fore feet over
their heads to drive away the insects, and biting their sides
till our legs were in danger of their teeth. In a word the
poor tortured and enraged beasts often attempted to throw
themselves down and roll in the water. We also suffered
intolerably, being almost prevented from taking breath.

At ten o'clock we fell upon the great cart road which
goes to Lac Plat,* about two leagues N. of us, where a num-

* So copy, but read Fournier (baker), in this instance a personal name. Thus
McDonnell, May 19th, 1794, in Masson, I. p. 290, has: " Met two canotees
of South-Men, ascending, headed by a Mons. Fournier. Took Morelle, a
deserter of ours from Pembina River, from him. The first prairie below Fort
de la Reine has been called Prairie a Fournier after this South Trader." There
were several persons in the N. W. Co. of this name. — One Fournier brought an
express from Slave 1. to Fort Chipewyan, Apr. 17th, 1800. — Ignace Fournier is
listed as voyageur. Fort des Prairies, 1804. — Joseph Fournier is listed as voy-
ageur contre-maitre. Upper Red r., 1804 ; perhaps this is the one McDonnell
speaks of. — Jacques Fournier, a Canadian voyageur, date and place of birth
unknown, died in Kansas in July, 1871, at an alleged age of 124 or 125 years,
probably about 100 ; he claimed to remember the battle of Abraham Plains,
1759, perhaps meaning siege of Quebec in 1775 ; was traced through Pittsburg,
Pa., to New Orleans, where he was in the war of 1812, and is said to have been
with Lewis and Clark. There is no mention of such a person, but he might
have been one of the unnamed boatmen, who went as far as the Mandans and
returned. — Louis Fournier was on the Willamette r. in Oregon in 1835. — Henry
is traveling in St. Fran9ois Xavier parish, past the town of that name on the N.
bank of the river, toward Bale St. Paul. A town on the same bank, between
the two said, is now known as Pigeon Lake.

^ Now Shoal 1., a considerable body of water lying between Lake Manitoba
and Lake Winnipeg. The cart road to this lake went north of the river in the
vicinity of the present town of Marquette, on the main C. P. Ry.

290 LONG LAKE— PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE.

ber of freemen are passing the summer. Two of our horses
were knocked up, and could not move even upon a slow
trot ; I therefore left them to come on slowly, and pursued
the cart road. Soon afterward I overtook a cart which
proved to be Mr. Dorion's, with a load of buffalo meat from
Lac Plat, where he has a hunter employed. We proceeded
on to Raft lake,^ where we unsaddled and allowed the
horses two hours to rest. Here we found Madame Dorion,
who had made a good fire to drive away the mosquitoes.
She was sent on ahead for that purpose, and had also pre-
pared some excellent appalats of buffalo meat, and gathered
some nearly ripe pears. Having refreshed ourselves, and
our fatigued party joining us, we saddled and mounted, but
their pace was so slow that I left them to come on with the
cart, and went ahead with Ducharme, directing our course
S. S. W. until five o'clock, when we arrived at Portage la
Prairie.^

* Present Long 1., of narrow curved form, lying partly in the parish of Baie
St. Paul, but mostly in the adjoining township on the N. (Tp. 13, R. iv, W.
princ. merid). Henry is at or near Redburn sta. of the main C. P. Ry., be-
tween Marquette and Poplar Point sta. , a little below a place on the N. bank
of the river called Belcourt.

' Observe the change in Henry's course from N. W. to S. S. W. since leaving
Long or Raft 1., opp. which the Assiniboine is at its northernmost bend. Soon
after passing Poplar Point sta. he crossed the boundary between Selkirk and
Macdonald districts of Manitoba, entering the latter ; he then passed Assini-
boine, a place on the N. bank of the river, and next High Bluff sta, on the
main C. P. Ry. In High Bluff parish, at or near the place on the river where
the N. P. and Manitoba R. R. now crosses, named Bridge Spur, was Adhemar's
fort, said by McDonnell, /. c, p. 270, to be 6 m. by land, and a day by water
(going up stream) below Portage la Prairie ; he camped there May 17th, 1794.
He gives Blondishe's fort as below Adhemar's — the lowest on the river at the
time of which he writes. Jacques Adhemar of the N. W. Co. was in the Nepi-
gon district in 1799. Portage la Prairie, as a locality, as a carrying-place from
the Assiniboine over to Lake Manitoba, and as a station of the N. W. Co. in
Henry's time, has been repeatedly mentioned in this work already, and refer-
ence has been made to Verendrye's Fort la Reine, on the S. or right bank of
the river, founded Oct. 3d, 1738, when Verendrye was on his way to the Man-
dans, as Henry is now. This fort was burned by the Crees about 1752. The
place was also called Prairie portage, Meadow portage (as Thompson, 1798) and
Plain portage (Harmon, 1805); but the full form of the F. phrase persists, for

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE POST. 291

Here I found an Indian, sent by Mr. Chaboillez from
Riviere'la Souris to inform me of his arrival at that place
from Fort Dauphin. I hear of nothing but famine through-
out the country. The Indians of this establishment have
been away since June ist, and have made no dried pro-
visions whatever. They can scarcely find food sufficient
for their families. Their principal resource has been along
the shores of Lake Maninthonobanc \_szc — Manitoba], where
wild fowl breed in prodigious numbers. Round the S. end of
this lake, and as far N. as the Straits, a low, broken, marshy
country extends from one to three miles before we come to
terra firma — these extensive morasses being the great re-
sort for wild fowl of all kinds. At the season when
swans and other birds shed their feathers, the Indians
destroy great numbers by pursuing them in canoes and kill-
ing them with sticks. Eggs of all sorts they also collect in
abundance — even canoe-loads [canotees]. Muskrats are
likewise very plentiful in these marais.

At Portage la Prairie we have an excellent garden, well
stocked with potatoes, carrots, corn, onions, parsnips, beets,
turnips, etc., all in forwardness and good order. Cabbages
and melons do not turn out so well as at Panbian river — the
soil here is too dry and sandy. It was late before our

the present parish, and for the town, somewhat off the river, where the
N. P. and Manitoba R. R. crosses the main C. P. Ry. Portage cr. runs from
this vicinity toward Lake Manitoba. McDonnell says, /. f., that Wm. McKay
of the N. W. Co. wintered here, 1794-95, with Mr. Reaume, in opposition to
Mr. Linkwater of the H. B. Co., and one Dejadon, acting for one Laviolette.
Thompson, who passed down Mar. 2d, 1798, notes " several old houses " in the
vicinity. Harmon, who was here June 13th, 1805, says : " Here the North
West Company have a miserable fort, the local situation of which is beautiful,
beyond anything that I have seen in this part of the world. Opposite the fort
there is a plain, which is about 60 miles long, and from one to ten broad, in the
whole extent of which not the least rise of ground is visible," Journal, 1820,
p. 140.

A place on the river, which may be worth noting here, for future identifica-
tion, is indicated as follows : "In the Assinneboin river, at one or two days
above the Prairie Portage, is a place called Kenewkauneshewayboant, (where
they throw down the gray eagle,)" James' Tanner's Narr. 1830, p. 60.

292

OLD POPLAR FORT.

knocked-up party arrived ; they came on foot, leading their
horses, that could scarcely walk,

July loth. We have not so many mosquitoes here as at
Panbian river. The country is more elevated, and the soil,
being dry and sandy, may account for the difference. I
found myself unwell all day with a fever ; however, I made
preparations for our journey, but had some difficulty in pro-
curing a good horse. My own, which I had sent here last
spring for that purpose, was sick, and another one that I
depended upon was lame ; but as I was determined to pro-
ceed, even should it be on foot, I was offered one. I knew
him to be a cruel beast for carrying rough, and no runner at
all ; but had to take him or none.

July nth. I sent off Mr. William Henry and Forcier'
for Panbian river, and soon set out for Riviere la Souris,
accompanied by Toussaint Veandrie [Vaudry], interpreter,
and Joseph Ducharme. I was still weak and scarcely able
to sit upon my horse. Our road led through patches of
meadows and low poplars ; the latter generally in low, boggy
spots, where our horses had mud and water up to their
knees ; but we had a beautiful road for a few miles before
we came to these bad places.

At nine o'clock we passed old Fort de Tremble,' where

^ The Forciers of the N. W. Co. were several, appearing also as Forcin,
Fercier, and Frecier. Henry's was very likely Pierre Forcier, listed as voy-
ageur, Fort Dauphin, 1804. — Another was Michel Forcier, of equal date. — A
third was Jean Luc. Forcier, on the Chippewa r. about the same time. — Etienne
Forcier, listed as of Fort des Prairies, 1804, was at the Rocky Mt. house, Oct.
26th, 1806, and with Thompson in the Rocky mts., 1809-11; he came out of
the mts. with Thompson down the Saskatchewan in June, 1810, and went with
him from Boggy Hall into the mts. ; at the sources of the Athabasca, Oct. ,
1810 ; at Thompson's historical camp at the mouth of Canoe r. in Jan., 181 1.

' Otherwise Poplar fort, also called Fort du Tremble, Fort des Trembles,
Fort aux Trembles, with variants to Tremblier, Trembliers, and Tremblaie.
As elsewhere stated, the word refers to the aspen or quaking-ash, Populus
tremuloides, whose leaves tremble or shiver in the breeze. This fort stood on
the right or S. bank of the Assiniboine, about 5 m. above Portage la Prairie,
in the middle of a 3-mile reach of the river ; above it was a wood known as
la Grande Trembliere or Tremblaie. Accounts of the affair which Henry nar-

THE ATTACK ON THIS POST IN 1 78 1. 293

formerly there was an establishment which was attacked by
the Crees in 1781. This unfortunate affair appeared to be
the opening of a plan for the destruction of the whites
throughout the North West. Mr. Bruce was master of this
place. The Indians concerned were Crees, Assiniboines,
and Bas de la Riviere Indians ; 90 tents were at the house.
The affair took place soon after the arrival of the canoes in
the fall of 178 1, while the people were still building. Out
of 21 men present, 11 hid themselves; the remaining 10
defended themselves bravely, drove the Indians out of the
houses and fort, and shut the gates. They lost three men —
Belleau, Fecteau, and La France. They killed 15 Indians
on the spot, and 15 more died of their wounds. The place
was instantly abandoned, canoes were loaded, and all hands
embarked and drifted down to the Forks. At the moment
of their departure two Indian lads arrived from toward

rates differ irreconcilably. McDonnell, /. c, says that two Frenchmen and
seven Indians were killed " in the scuffle." — Of Mr. Bruce I have no further
information. Associated with him was Mr. Boyer, first name unknown, who
was a few years later sent to found a post on Peace r. ; afterward, in 1787, he
was on Beaver r., and he went with Mr. McLeod and 12 men to Lake Atha-
basca, Nov. 9th, 1788. — One Bruce of the N. W. Co. was at Grand Portage in
1799, wages 300 livres. — Pierre Bruce was interpreter N. W. Co., on English
r. in 1804. — The Belleau who is said to have been killed was a coureur des bois;
no more known of him. He must not be confounded with that Mr. Belleau
who had two different houses in this region, and was- alive in 1800. Belleau's
house between Swan r. and the Assiniboine was "old " in 1797 ; his house of
1797 and later was in pines on a brook about 8 m. N. N. E. of the elbow of
the Assiniboine (on the point of which was Sutherland's H. B. Co. house at
that time), lat. made Si** 51' 09" N. by Thompson. — In 1789 Pierre Belleau
engaged for 3 years in the N. W. Co., with Mr. Bergeron, and he was on the
N. Saskatchewan in 1779-1800 ; left Fort George May 13th, 1800, for the upper
house. — Antoine Belleau and Jean Baptiste Belleau were two Astorians on the
ship Tonquin from N. Y., Sept. 6th, 18 10, to the mouth of the Columbia,
Mar. 22d, 181 1; both deserted from Astoria, Nov. loth, retaken Nov. 22d, 1811.
— The killed man whom Henry calls Fecteau appears elsewhere as Facteau and
Tecteau; coureur des bois ; no further record. — For persons named Lafrance,
see a previous note, and one of the Mandan tour, beyond. — Regarding the
smallpox, there seems to be a lacuna in the Henry copy, as if he were going on
to tell about it, but nothing appears. We know, however, that an epidemic
raged for two or three years after 1781, destroying thousands of Indians.

294 GRANDE TREMBLAIE — MIDDLE RIVER — HAIR HILLS.

Fort Dauphin ; being strangers, they requested permis-
sion to embark, which was granted. At this time there was
no mention of the smallpox, but the first day they embarked
■ one of the lads complained of being unwell. The people
gave him the loan of a blanket to cover himself with. . .

Having passed through several ugly trembliers, we
came to what is called the Grande Trembliere [Tremblaie],
supposed to be about three leagues in length. Through
this wood the road was horrid — mud and mire up to our
horses' knees, and sometimes to their bellies; in some
places they stuck fast, and obliged us to dismount. What
added to our misery was the great number of trees which
had been blown down, and lay across the track in every
direction. We found ourselves clear when we came to a
dry, sandy soil, where we unsaddled and allowed our horses
two hours to rest.

At four o'clock we crossed Riviere du Milieu.'" Two
very steep hills confine this small river, which comes in
from the N. In going down the first hill, our horses stuck
fast several times, and, in climbing up the other, they could
scarcely support themselves. The path leads up a narrow
ridge, which is continually crumbling into the valley below
on both sides ; one false step would dash us into the trees
at the bottom. From the top we had a delightful view of
the country and of the river which runs near the foot of
those hills, and whose winding course is seen for many miles
E. and W.

The Hair hills here come within about two miles of the
river at their most northern extremity. The valley between
the river and the hills is delightfully intercepted by patches
of meadow, poplar, and stunted oak ; and to enliven the
prospect, we had the pleasure of seeing several herds of red
deer. On the N. the view is confined by rising ground,
and the country is very rough.

'» Middle r. orcr., called Middle brook by Thompson, who remarks upon
the difficulty he had here on Thursday, March 1st, 1798, when it took him an
hour to get his dog-train up the steep banks.

WINTER POST — INDIAN TRAMP — HORSE THIEVES. 295

At this place we have, for several years past, kept up a
winter establishment ; but the country is now destitute of
beaver and other good furs, and the returns would not pay
expenses.

We proceeded, and soon overtook the Indian who had
left Portage la Prairie this morning. He pretended he
could not walk, and complained of having hurt his legs,
which, however, were not in the least swelled. We, there-
fore, were passing on before him, when he began such a
pitiful lamentation, that I prevailed upon V[audry] to give
up his horse for the rest of the day, for I could not leave
the poor fellow on the road, as he said he would certainly
perish were we to leave him behind. So we proceeded,
our old Indian on horseback and V. afoot, till we came
to the first small lakes, nothing more than ponds of stag-
nated water, where we stopped for the night. The country
from the Grande Trembliere was very hilly, and the road
mostly heavy, over barren hills, where, in some places, our
horses sank up to the fetlocks. Our course was very ser-
pentine, but in a direct line, about W., 12 leagues. We
passed through several places so overgrown with willows
and brushwood as to render traveling tedious, and, at the
same time, dangerous to the eyes, as we could scarcely
defend our faces from the twigs and branches which choked
up the road in every valley.

This evening I found myself very weak and unwell. We
fettered our horses, and tied them near the fire for the
night, lest any straggling horse-stealers, who might have
perceived us, should wait until we fell asleep, to make off
with every horse and leave us to shift for ourselves. This
is a very great inconvenience — you are sure of your horse
only when you are on his back, so many Cree and Son-
nant thieves are there, wandering about the Assiniboine.
The Saulteurs and the Red River Indians are not so thiev-
ishly disposed ; we may pass near any of their camps,
and put up for the night with them, without danger of
losing horses, or any other property, excepting rum — that

296 PINE RIVER — OLD PINE FORT.

they go any length to obtain, either by theft, pillage, or
murder.

July I2th. At daybreak we saddled, and were going off,
when the old Indian began such a tale of woe as to induce
us once more to take him up on horseback. My two men
walked by turns until we came to Riviere aux Epinettes,
when, finding the day far advanced, and being anxious to
reach Riviere la Souris before night, we determined to
leave the old gentleman behind, notwithstanding his bitter
complaints. We gave him provisions and tobacco for five
days, and I promised to send somebody to meet him with
a horse to-morrow. He pretended to be so ill that he
could only move on his hands and knees, and even then
not without much grunting and moaning; he wished us to
make him a pair of crutches to enable him, as he said, to
crawl to the water to drink. But time would not permit us
to do more for him than leave him some water in a bark
dish, and the brook was not more than 100 yards off, where
he could get plenty. At one o'clock we crossed Wattap "
river, and came to old Fort des Epinettes, where we
stopped to refresh ourselves and rest our horses. Here we
had an establishment for several years, but from the
scarcity of wood, provisions, and other circumstances, it was
abandoned, and built higher up river, where the settlement
is now, at Riviere la Souris. The country hereabouts is
very hilly and rough, with deep valleys, in which grow

" Henry's R. aux Epinettes and W^attap r. are the same stream, now Pine r.
or cr. ; in Bell's paper printed Wa-wap. Apinette is Canadian French for
certain coniferous trees, whose sharp leaves we call "needles." The small
stream falls into the Assiniboine from the N. or right hand going up, 15 m. or
more by the road below the mouth of Mouse r. The Assiniboine here makes
a large loop S., and the road leaves it for a more direct course. The mouth of
Pine cr. is in the N. W. section of Tp. 8, R. xiii, W. of the princ. merid.;
there is no named place in the immediate vicinity, but it is nearly on a direct
line, 12 m. S. of sta. Melbourne of the main C. P. Ry., and 12 m. N. of sta.
Glenboro of the S. W. branch of that railway. Here, on the Assiniboine. N.
bank, W. of Pine cr., stood Fort des Epinettes, or Fort des Pins, oftener
called Pine fort, built 1785, abandoned 1794. Harmon viewed the remains
Saturday, June ist, 1805 : Journal, p. 139.

devil's mountain — MOUSE RIVER. 297

some epinettes and stunted birches and poplars. The soil
is poor, dry, and sandy.

At two o'clock we proceeded, and soon came to Mon-
tagne du Diable,'"^ the tops of which we had seen at Wattap
river. This mountain, or rather ridge of barren, sandy
hills, is a body of sand several miles in length ; the prin-
cipal hill is on the E., several miles in circumference, and
level on the top, where no kind of vegetation grows. Our
path led along the foot of this hill, which appears to be
shifting its position eastward. Evidence of this may be
seen in the state of the trees on the E. side, where they are
so deeply buried in the sands that the very tops of some tall
pines just peep through. Westward lies a sandy waste for
three or four miles, where nothing grows but a few stunted
epinettes, that tumble down when the sands are blown from
about their roots. The principal reason why this body of
sand may be said to move eastward is the strong westerly
winds which prevail. Many extraordinary stories are
related of this mountain, both by Indians and Canadians —
of the strange noises heard in its bowels, and the nightly
apparitions seen at one particular place ; but as I cannot
vouch for any of them, I shall relate none. In crossing
those hills our horses sank up to their knees in many places.

Having passed them, we traversed a level plain for about
15 miles, when we arrived opposite our establishment of
Riviere la Souris,'^ which is situated on the S. side of the

'^Devil's mt., now known as the Sand hills, from the features Henry
describes ; the name originated in some Indian superstition concerning the
shiftiness of the sands under the supervision of some manitou, who was god or
devil, as the case might be—" diabolus deus inversus." Thompson calls them
Manito hills, 1798.

'2 Henry has come up the N. or left bank of the Assiniboine, which he has
therefore on his left, and must be ferried over to the S. side where Mouse r.
falls in and the N. W. Co. and X. Y. Co, houses both stood in 1806 — Brandon
House of the H. B. Co. being on the N. side, opp. the other two. Henry is
clear and precise on these points, concerning which there has been much misun-
derstanding. Lewis' map of 1806 (first pub., reduced, in Science of Nov. 4th,
1887, and first retraced of full size from a photograph of the original, for L.
and C, ed. of 1893), locates all three correctly. Clark's map of 1814, in the

298 POSTS ABOUT THE MOUTH OF MOUSE RIVER.

Assiniboine. I was therefore under the necessity of apply-
ing to the H. B. Co. people to ferry us over, which they
very willingly did. Their fort stands on the N. side,
where also ours formerly stood. The gentlemen of the N.
W. Co. are so fond of shifting their buildings that a place
is scarcely settled before it is thrown up and planted else-

orig. ed. of L. and C, in facsimile in mine of 1893, does the same. And Har-
mon says, June 27th, 1805, Journal, p. 138 : " Riviere a la Souris, or Mouse
River. . . Here are three establishments, formed severally by the North West,
X. Y., and Hudson's Bay Companies." H. B. Brandon house was built in
1794, nearly or about opp. the mouth of Mouse r. ; X. Y. Fort Souris was opp.
it, next to Mouse r., on the W. of the latter ; N. W. Assiniboine house was
a little further up the S. side of the main river. Observe that Henry speaks of
the H. B. house as being " on the N. side, where also ours formerly stood."
This former N. W. Co. Assiniboine house is the one which was in full opera-
tion in 1797-98, when Thompson was there, leaving it for his Mandan tour
9.30 a. m. Tuesday, Nov. 28th, 1797, and returning 10.30 a. m. Saturday, Feb.
3d, 1798 ; he says that, on starting, he crossed the Assiniboine, — conclusive evi-
dence that the hoiise was then on the N. side. John McDonnell was in charge.
Thompson generally calls it McDonnell's house, sometimes Stone Indian River
house ; states that it was \% m. above Mouse r.; and gives for position lat.
49° 41' 06" N., long. 99" 59' 15" W. In McDonnell's time and to 1805 or
later, the N. W. Co. had an important post higher up the Assiniboine, called
Fort Montague a la Bosse, supposed to be two days or 50 m. by land, six days
by water, from Mouse r. ; he says it was then the next post above him, and
states that it turned out for the N. W. Co. about 60 packs a year, mostly wolves
and buffalo, C. N. Bell misspells Basse as the name, but gives Boss hill and
Boss cr. correctly ; the F. word bosse means boss, bust, bump, hump, knob,
stud, and the like, and designated the hill. This fort stood on a high bank, com-
manding an extensive prospect. In Oct., 1804, C. J. B. Chaboillez was in
charge, with Chas. McKenzie ; Harmon and Franc. Ant. Larocque were there,
Oct. Iith-I9th, when Harmon left " that enchanting abode," as he calls it, p.
131, and was next day at Qu'Appelle r. His Journal of Nov. 24th, 1804, has
an interesting passage concerning Lewis and Clark, who were then at the Man-
dans: " Some people have just arrived from Montague a la Basse, with a letter
from Mr. Chaboillez, who informs me that two Captains, Clarke and Lewis,
with 180 soldiers [!] have arrived at the Mandan Village on the Missouri River,
which place is situated about three days' march distant from the residence of
Mr. Chaboillez. They have invited Mr. Chaboillez to visit them. It is said,
that on their arrival they hoisted the American flag, and informed the Natives
that their object was not to trade, but merely to explore the country ; and that
as soon as the navigation shall open, they design to continue their route across the
Rocky Mountain, and thence descend to the Pacific Ocean, They made the
Natives a few small presents, and repaired their guns, axes, &c., gratis. Mr.

FORT ASSINIBOINE — SWAN RIVER NOTED. 299

where. The H. B. Co. people were busily employed mak-
ing hair lines with which they fetter their horses ; they per-
form this work with great expedition, and very neatly, in
the same way that rope is made. The hair they commonly
use is that which buffaloes have between the horns, and
which is sometimes upward of a foot long. They also use
horsehair, which is much stronger than buffalo's. Indians
are also expert and ingenious in making these hair lines,
but their work is slow and tedious in comparison to the
English make.

Having been ferried over to our fort, I found Mr. Cha-
boillez [Charles, junior] and Allan McDonald,'* from Fort
Dauphin, on their way to Swan river '^ and Riviere Qu'Ap-

Chaboillez writes, that they behaved honourably toward his people, who are
there to trade with the Natives." (For the Chaboillez matter see L. and C,
ed. 1893, p. 187.) Harmon was wintering at Fort Alexandria when he wrote
this. While at Montagne a la Bosse in Apr., 1805, he had made up his mind to
go to the Pacific via the Missouri river at the Mandans ; had he done so, he
might have given Lewis and Clark a close race for their laurels ! But ill
health caused him to give up this project. He adds, p. 137, " A Mr. [F. A.]
La Rocque attempted to make this tour ; but went no further than the Mandan
Village." His appearance on that scene is familiar to readers of L. and C.

'* Plainly so in copy : elsewhere in Henry MS. Allen McDonell : see L,
and C, ed. 1893, p. 1184. Allen McDonald appears as clerk N. W. Co., 1804,
Fort Dauphin. He goes with Henry to the Mandans.

" Swan r. is the principal feeder of that Swan 1. which discharges by Swan
or Shoal r. into Lake Winnipegoosis. It is a considerable stream, which arises
in the S. E. corner of Saskatchewan, enters the N. E. corner of Assiniboia, and
thence flows N. E. in Manitoba to the lake said, thus curving around the
elevated country known as Porcupine mt., and draining between Red Deer r.
and the uppermost Assiniboine ; some of its tributaries are Swan cr., Snake or.,
Bear's Head cr. , Thunder Hill cr,, Tamarac cr.. Rolling r., and Sinclair r. It
has been the scene of various important posts, and for some years gave name to
a department or district of the N. W. Co. It was easily accessible from below
through the chain of great lakes ; and also from above, by land N. for a few
miles from the elbow of the Assiniboine, where Fort Pelly now stands, to the
mouth of Snake cr. and vicinity. Thompson came to the N. W. Co. house on
Swan r. at 9 a. m. Sept. 2ist, 1797, about 12 m. by water up river from Swan L
He found in charge " a Mons. Frankure," who, I suppose, was Gabriel Fran-
chere, and one " Perrinnu " (the MS. blind at the name, but no doubt meant for
Perigne). Thos. Swain and four men were at the H. B. Co. house. Sept. 23d,
Thompson set off with Cuthbert Grant up river, en route to the Assiniboine —

300 CALLING RIVER NOTED.

pelle.'^ They had been four days in coming here on horse-
Porcupine hill to the right, Dauphin hill to the left. Thunder hill bearing S.
W. ; 24th, he notes an old house at the crossing of Swan r. ; and keeping the
river to his left he went between it and Thunder hill, recrossed the river, and
went up with the river on his left to Belleau's house, near mouth of Snake cr. ,
whence it was only about 8 m. S. to the Elbow, present Fort Pelly, where was
the H. B. Co. house in charge of Mr. Sutherland. When Harmon came to the
Swan River house of the N. W. Co., Oct. loth, 1800, he found Perigne in chge.
(This was Louis Perigne or Perigny, clerk N. W. Co., who left the place two
days later to build the Bird Mountain house, 50 m. higher up. In 1808 he had
left the N. W. Co., been to Canada, and turned up a freeman at Grand rapids
at the mouth of the Saskatchewan.) Harmon observes that the H. B. Co. house
had then been abandoned " several years."

'* " In olden times, the shores of this river were haunted by a spirit, whose
voice, resembling that of a human being, was often heard wailing during the
night. So said the Natives, and the Voyageurs called it Riviere qui Appelle,"
Masson, I. p. 274. ' ' Catabuysepu, or the River that calls ... is so named by the
superstitious Natives, who imagine that a spirit is constantly going up or down
it ; and they say that they often hear its voice distinctly, which resembles the cry
of a human being," Harmon, p. 117. The Cree name Harmon uses, other-
wise rendered Katapawi-sipi, and translated "Who Calls r., has been generally
Englished as Calling r. Corruptions of the French Qu'Appelle yield Capelle,
Kapel, and other forms. This queerly called river is the main fork of the
Assiniboine, if not actually the principal stream ; it traverses a great part of As-
siniboia, about E. , draining a very large region from the main Saskatchewan,
and overruns a little into Manitoba, where it joins the Assiniboine, about 2 m.
above present Fort Ellice, in Tp. 17, R. xxviii, W. of the princ. merid. In
this course the river dilates into several lakes, is fed by others, and receives
many other tributaries. Its origin is so close to the Elbow of the Saskatchewan
that it reminds us of the way Lake Traverse of Red r. is related to Big Stone 1.
of the Minnesota, or the Upper Columbia 1. to the Kootenay ; for Calling r.
arises in that feeder of Eyebrow 1. which almost or actually connects with Aik-
tow cr. or coulee, or River that Turns, which latter is a stream about 12 m. long,
running about W. N. W. into the Elbow of the Saskatchewan. So slight is
the elevation that a cut of 40 feet at the Aiktow source and a corresponding dam
in the Saskatchewan would turn all the water of the latter into Qu'Appelle r.
Fort Esperance was founded by Robert Grant, some years before 1790, prob-
ably about 1785, at or near a place called Prairie la Paille; it was called two
short days' journey up river by boat from its mouth ; this was in operation
many years. Thompson was at Wm. Thoburn's house on the Qu'Appelle,
Nov. I2th, 1797 ; he located it in lat. so" 28' 57" N., long. lOl'' 45' 45" W.
The name stands variously Thoburn, Thorburn, Thornburn, Thobourn, Thor-
bourne, etc. He reached Grand Portage in 1798 on June 23d. Higher up the
Qu'Appelle, at the Fishing lakes, an adjoining pair in the course of the river,
where there is now a notable crossing place, etc. , both the N. W. Co. and the

PREVIOUS MANDAN TOURS NOTED. 301

back. Mr. F. A. La Rocque " has this post in charge for

X. Y. Co. had posts, which were abandoned in 1804. In that year they both
also had posts at the mouth of the river ; the N. W. Co. being in charge of
Andre Poitras, clerk N. W. Co., winter 1804-05 ; probably the same as one
Poitra or Poitras who wintered at Fort Esperance, 1793-94. Present Fort
Ellice, on the W. side of the Assiniboine near the confluence of the Qu'Appelle,
at the mouth of Beaver or., was once called Beaver Creek fort. Bell renders the
name Ellis, and says that it "likely takes its name from the Hon. Edward
Ellis, who was chiefly instrumental in bringing the H. B. Co. and the N. W.
Co. into one corporate body." (Alexander Ellice of the X. Y. Co. signed the
Montreal agreement of Nov. 5th, 1804.)

"Franfois Antoine I.arocque, clerk N. W. Co., who led the Mandan expedi-
tion of 1804, and wintered there with Lewis and Clark. He is the " Mr. Le
Rock " and " Mr. Laroche " of L. and C, ed. 1893, pp. 203, 213, 226, 228,
229, 240, 248, and has left us an interesting and valuable journal of 1804-05,
published in Masson, I. 1889, pp. 297-313. He had been with Harmon
at Forts Alexandria and Montagne a la Bosse in Oct., 1804, and left Fort As-
siniboine for the Mandans 2 p. m., Nov. Iith, 1804, with Chas. McKenzie,
clerk N. W. Co. ; J. Bte. Lafrance, clerk ; Wm. Morrison, Jos. Azure, J. Bte.
Turrenne, Alexis McKay, voyageurs, and nine horses ; arrived at the Mandans
3 p. m., Nov. 25th. Returning, he reached Fort Assiniboine 8 p. m., Feb. 12th,
1805. Again he left there, June 3d, 1805, with Chas. McKenzie, J. Bte. La-
france, and two voyageurs, under instructions to reach the Rocky mts., if possi-
ble ; but did not succeed in this attempt, and returned to his post Nov. i8th,
1805. Mr. Larocque was a brother of Joseph Larocque ; he married Miss
Cote, dau. of an independent trader and sister of Jules Maurice ; he left only
a son Alfred Larocque, who was father of M. le Chevalier Larocque, a papal
zouave ; of Armand Larocque ; and of Mrs. Alderic Ouimet, wife of a Speaker
of the House of Commons. Mr. F. A. Larocque left the N. W. Co. early,
entered upon business in Montreal, was unfortunate, and died at an advanced
age in the Gray Nunnery of St. Hyacinthe.

Larocque was preceded in going to the Mandans by David Thompson, whose
never published journal is before me : see L. and C, ed. 1893, p. 197, and
Pike, ed. 1895, p. 167 — upon which latter notice I can now enlarge. This tour
is in Book No. 9 of Vol. V. of the arrangement of his MS. in the Crown Lands
Dept. of Ontario, at Toronto. A list of his men on inside of cover is : Rene
Jussomme ; Joseph Boisseau ; Hugh McCracken ; Alexis Vivier ; Pierre Gilbert ;
Fran9ois Perreault ; Toussaint Vaudril ; Louis Joseph Hool ; Jean Baptiste
Minie. D. T. left McDonnell's Assiniboine house 9.30 a. m. Tuesday, Nov.
28th, 1797 ; reached Ash house on Mouse r. Dec. 7th, and made its position
49° 27' 32"N.; crossed R. au Saule or Willow r. Dec. i6th ; notes thermometer
minus 41° Dec. 20th, and had a terrible storm. " McCraghen " sick Dec. 21st,
and could not go on ; reached usual crossing place of Mouse r. and struck across
country to Dog Tent hill ; froze his fingers on Christmas ; reached Missisourie r.
Dec. 29th ; one Murray, not in foregoing list, is named Dec. 30th. At the

302 PREVIOUS MANDAN TOURS NOTED.

the summer. There are here three laboring men, an As-
siniboine interpreter, and 40 women and children, almost
starving. There are no buffalo in these parts at present,

Mandans he was as usual busier with geography and ethnography than with
trade, and made various observations. He fixed the principal Mandan village
at lat. 47" 17' 22", long. ioi° 14' 24" ; and there he estimated the source of the
Missouri to be lat. 45° 30' 37", long. 110° 49' 08" ; of Shell (Musselshell) r.,
lat. 44° 41' 39", long. 110° 18' 45" ; of Large Corn (Bighorn) r., lat. 420 44'
19", long. 109" 11' 55" ; and of the Yellowstone, lat. 43° 39' 45", long. 109°
43' 17". He notes 5 villages, altogether of 318 houses and 7 tents, viz.: Upper
Fall Indians, 31 houses, 7 tents ; Lower Fall Indians, 82 houses ; third village,
" Mahnon of Mandens and a few Fall Indians," 52 houses, 37 Mandan, and 15
Fall ; fourth village, Mandan, " across the river," 40 houses ; fifth or principal
Mandan village, lowest, 113 houses. He made a Mandan vocabulary, which is
extant. Left at 8.30 a. m. Wednesday, Jan. lOth, 1798 ; trouble with refrac-
tory men and bad weather; " Minie " becomes Minier ; notes Dog Tent or
Dog hill, Long 1., Elbow of Mouse r., Old Ash house. Plumb r.. Boss hill.
Moose Head hill, etc., and arr. McDonnell's 10.30 a. m. Saturday, Feb. 3d,
having practically retraced his steps. He took a more direct route than Henry
is about to follow, but nearly the same for the most part, and his itinerary will
help us much in trailing our author. He notes that McCraghen, Minier, and
Murray started back to the Mandans next day, Feb. 4th.

But Thompson had been anticipated in the Missouri trip by earlier parties of
the N. W. Co., of which little is known accurately. Thus McDonnell's Journal
of May 2 1st, 1795, Masson, I. 1889, p. 294, has : " Jussome and the Mandan
men arrived here with their returns, 15 days ago, all but Jos. Dube, who de-
serted from the rest and staid with the Indians of the Missouri." Again Mc-
Donnell's Journal of Dec. loth, 1793, ibid. p. 286, indicates a still earlier visit
to the Mandans, as follows : " The nine men equipt (on their own account)
for the Missouri, started, viz: Raphael Faignan, Antoine Bourier dit La-
vigne, Joseph Dube, J. B. Lafrance, Joseph Tranquille, J. B. Bertrand, Chrys-
ostome Joncquard, Louis Houle et Fran9ois La Grave."

The H. B. Co. also sent people from the Assiniboine to the Missouri in those
years, but I have no memoranda of names and exact dates.

The original visit of the whites to the Mandans was made in 1738 by Pierre
Gaultier de Verennes, Le Sieur de Verendrye, whose own account of it, in
quaint French and in English, on alternate pages, may be read in the Report on
Canadian Archives by Douglas Brymner, 1889, pp. 3-29 ; in default of which,
see Pike, ed. 1895, pp. 254-56, or Neill's article there cited.

Agreeably with my desire to account for as many personal names as I can, in
the order in which they come up in the present work, I will offer the following
memoranda of individuals here in mention and not previously noted : Rene
Jussome is our old acquaintance in Lewis and Clark: ed. 1893, pp. 180, 181,
189, 232, 1178, I184. Besides the many aliases there, Gissom is found inChas.

PREVIOUS MANDAN TOURS NOTED. 303

and they have finished what pemmican was left here last
spring. No trade of any kind is going forward ; the
Indians have been away since June ist, and they are not
expected back before the arrival of the canoes. This even-
ing their hunter came in from the Moose Head " hills ; he
brought two red deer, which certainly was a seasonable sup-
ply for us. Everything here bore the aspect of distress and
desolation.

Sunday, July ijth. I found myself still very unwell ;
however, I hired a guide and prepared for my journey, not-

McKenzie's Journal, as noted beyond. In 1806 Jussome is said to have been
over 15 years an independent trader on the Missouri. Henry has much to say
of him beyond, and nothing in his favor. — Of Joseph Boisseau nothing further

appears, except that he continued with Thompson to the Red r., etc., in 1798.

Hugh McCracken, McCrachen, or McCraghan, is found with Henry beyond.

Of Pierre Gilbert no further information ; Charles Gilbert was avoyageur N. W.
Co., Fort des Prairies, 1804, and Etienne Gilbert the same, Fort Dauphin,
1804. — Perreault or Perrault is an old name in the fur-trade. Jean Bap-
tiste Perreault left Quebec in 1783 to engage in trade on the Illinois
in service under Marchesseau, and reached Cahokia Aug. nth, 1794 ; was
clerk to Alex. Kay ; died at S. S. Marie, Nov. 12th, 1844, aged 84 or 85 years :
see Tasse, I. pp. 337-340. For writings of his, see Schoolcraft's Indian Tribes,
III. pp. 353-359-— J- B. Perreault (whether the same?) is listed as voyageur
N. W. Co., Le Pic, 1799; wages goo livres. — Another J. B. Perreault was on
the Willamette in Oregon in 1838.— Of Fran9ois Perreault, nothing further.—
Gabriel Perreault of the N. W. Co. wintered 1804-05 on or near Cranberry 1.,
under Joseph Cartier. — Guilleaume Perreault was a Canadian boy on Astor's
ship Tonquin from New York, Sept. 6th, 1810.— Toussaint Vaudril is the Vaudry
who now goes with Henry.— For Louis Joseph Hool or Houle, see a note be-
yond.—Jean Baptiste Mini, Minie, Menie. or Minier of Thompson is listed
as voyageur N. W. Co. Upper Redr., 1804 ; McDonnell's Journal mentions a
Minie. There is a question if the full name be not Dumesnil.— Joseph Dube
was of the N. W. Co. ; nothing further appears than as above.— One Dube
was with Umfreville, ca. 1782.— Joseph Tranquille and Paul Tranquille were
both engages of the N. W. Co.— Jean Baptiste Bertrand reappears as voyageur
N. W. Co.. Lower Red r., 1804.— Of Chrysostome Joncquard, nothing further
appears. — Louis Houle is noted beyond. — Franfois La Grave is twice listed
as voyageur N. W. Co., 1804, English r. and Rainy 1.; one La Grave as the
same, same date. Rat r.

'8 The marked elevations on Henry's route and northward, in the bight of
land between Mouse r. and the Assiniboine, were known as Brandon hills, or
the Blue hills of Brandon, so named for the same person that Brandon house
was ; and the Moose Head was a conspicuous landmark in these hills.

304 henry's party made up — MOOSE HEAD.

withstanding many obstacles that were laid in my way to
deter me. I was determined to push on ; even should I be
obliged to go with only my two men, and a sketch of the
route I had with me, I should be able to find the way. I
could not get a horse to carry my baggage for love or
money ; neither had my guide a horse for himself nor could
I procure him one for a long time. I had almost given up
hope of his accompanying me, and was preparing to set off
with my two men only, when suddenly Mr. Chaboillez
agreed to go with me. This evening, everything being in
readiness, my mind was more at rest than it had been since
I left Panbian river, as I had been uncertain of procuring
a guide and a person to introduce us to the Mandans.

At this place we are not so much tormented by mosqui-
toes as to the eastward, but the common house fly supplies
their place. The buildings are full of them, and they make
as much buzzing as mosquitoes.

July i^tJi. Early all hands were alert, preparing for our
departure. Our party consisted of seven persons and eight
horses: Mr. Chaboillez ; Mr. A. McDonald; T. Viandrie ;
Joseph Ducharme ; Hugh MacEacan [Thompson's Mc-
Cracken or McCraghenj, our guide, an old Irishman for-
merly belonging to the artillery; a Saulteur lad, Pautchau-
conce [Chaboillez' brother-in-law] ; and myself. We had
provided ourselves with a few articles for the Missourie
Indians, such as ammunition, tobacco, knives, beads, etc.;
half a bag of pemmican and three pieces of dried meat
formed all our stock of provisions. We had each 50 pounds'
weight, which, with ourselves, our arms, blankets, and a
little ammunition for present use, formed a heavy burden
for our horses. The eighth horse carried my tent and
some other baggage, including a compass and spyglass.
At eight o'clock we mounted and kept on a slow trot. Our
course was W. S. W. for the Moose Head, where we arrived
at eleven o'clock, and stopped at a small lake to refresh our
horses. Here we shot a few ducks, and at one o'clock
saddled and proceeded in the same direction through a

RAPID RIVER SIGHTED— PLUM RIVER— ASH HOUSE. 305

very hilly country destitute of wood. From the summits
of these high, barren hills we had delightful views. In
some low spots were clusters of poplars ; to the N. we could
see the Assiniboine, N. of which we could trace the course
of Rapid river," which comes from Fort Dauphin mountain.
Herds of cabbrie or jumping deer [antelope, Atitilocapra
arnericand] were always in sight. At four o'clock we came
to Riviere la Souris, at the junction of Plumb" river, which
comes in from the W. N. W. We crossed it and kept
along the N. side of Riviere la Souris until sunset, when we
put up for the night near Fort de la Frenier." Here we
found many vestiges and encampments in concealed spots,
where horse thieves had remained for some time, and, on
looking about the sandy hills in search of fruit, we saw
several fresh tracks. This put us upon our guard, and we
fettered our horses around our fire — or rather smoke, for we
could get no wood. We therefore gathered a quantity of
dry buffalo dung [bois de vache or " bodewash "] with

'' Rapid r. is that tributary of the Assiniboine which is now known as Little
Saskatchewan r. — an ineligible name, as this stream has nothing to do with the
Saskatchewan watershed. It heads in the Riding (or Dauphin) mts., runs
about S. past Elphinstone, S. E. to Minnedosa, S. W. past Rapid City and
Pendennis, and finally S. E. into the Assiniboine, a few miles above Brandon.
The entrance is in the N. part of Tp. 10, R. xx, W. of the princ. merid., oppo-
site that station of the C. P. Ry. whence a branch runs to Souris. This stream
was originally R. St. Peter of Verendrye, 1739, later R. aux Rapides ; and
Tanner calls it Saskawjewun "r., as in the following passage, which may possibly
also indicate the origin of the name of the Riding mts.: " Naowawgunwudju,
the hill of the buffaloe chase, near the Saskawjewun," p. 109.

^^ Plum r. or cr. is a small stream which falls in at the town of Souris, now
reached by a branch of the C. P. Ry. It comes from a little lake of the same
name, near another lake called Oak, which latter is the sink of a certain Pipe-
stone cr. Henry's route thus far is practically coincident with the railroad, past
stations Methuen and Carroll to Souris, a considerable distance N. of Mouse r. ,
which makes a sharp bend S. W. and then turns W. N. W. to Souris. Mouse
r. is crossed by the N. P. and Man. R. R., at a place called Wawanesa or
Wawonoisa. Henry crosses Plum r. at its mouth. (Also called Snake cr.)

'• So called from F. frhie, the ash-tree, and better known as Ash house, the
name which Thompson uses : see note ". It was built in 1795, and abandoned
in the spring of 1796. The position was in the vicinity of present Menteith
Junction.

306 CLOUDS OF MOSQUITOES— BUTTE DE SABLE.

which we made shift to keep the mosquitoes away; our
provisions required no cooking. A strong breeze from the
E. kept the mosquitoes down in the grass, our fuel some-
times emitted a gentle flame, and all was mirth until eleven
o'clock, when suddenly the wind came about from the
N. W., bringing a terrible thunderstorm. The rain soon
fell in torrents, the weather became excessively sultry, and
the mosquitoes were upon us in clouds. Our situation was
truly miserable, having no other shelter than a small tent,
into which was crowded all our baggage besides the seven
persons, nearly sufTocated by the heat and mosquitoes.
Our horses could not remain a moment quiet, the flies kept
them so enraged. Some of their fetters gave way, and off
they went. We pursued them in the dark, and found them
by means of the flashes of lightning. Our day's journey
was about 14 leagues W. S. W. by the compass.

July 15th. When daylight appeared the storm ceased,
but the weather was still hot and sultry, and with wet
buffalo dung we could make no smoke. We therefore had
much trouble to saddle our horses, that were dancing mad
with the mosquitoes. Every moment we were in danger of
being crushed by them. After much vexation we mounted,
wet to the skin, and proceeded along the banks of the river,
here very high ; the current is gentle and appears navigable
for large canoes, except where reefs of rocks cross the river.
The soil on both sides appears sandy, at some places inter-
mixed with stones. Cabbrie were in sight almost every
moment, but so shy that we could not get a shot. At nine
o'clock we came to Butte de Sable." Here we stopped to
refresh our horses, they having got little rest last night.
From the top of one of those sandy hills we could see Turtle

*2 Butte de Sable is a sandhill I do not recognize. It is a few miles north of
my route of 1873 along the 49th parallel, and I cannot find it marked on any
map examined. But it seems to be that Snake hill which Hind's map of 1859
sets on the W. bank of Mouse r., 14 m. S. of Boss hill, or Montae;ne i la Bosse,
the Assiniboine trail from which Henry here strikes, and which has already
been mentioned in note '^, p. 298. Boss hill is between Plum cr. and Boss or
Boss Hill cr., which latter seems to be the one now called Gopher cr.

PLENTY OF WATER— ASSINIBOINE CAMPS. 307

mountain bearing S. E., distant about seven leagues. At
ten o'clock we proceeded, and having cleared the hills,
fell upon the Assiniboine route from Montagne a la Bosse,
which is only one short day's journey N. of us. The
heat was intolerable, without a breath of air, and the mos-
quitoes tormented us.

At one o'clock we stopped at a small lake, as the excess-
ive heat had nearly knocked the horses up. The water
was cool and pleasant ; we all bathed, which refreshed us
very much. It is fortunate for us that water is plentiful.
It sometimes happens in this country, in very dry seasons,
that water is only to be found in some particular creek or
lake. When this is the case we provide ourselves with
small kegs or bladders. But this often proves insufficient ;
some people have lost their lives on this account, and
others have had very narrow escapes, being two days
without a drop of water. This must be still worse than the
mosquitoes ; our thirst is perpetual, and at every pool some
of us stretch out upon our bellies to drink. But this year
we are under no apprehensions, heavy rains having filled
up every creek, lake, pond, and indeed every hollow spot
in the plains.

At three o'clock we saddled. We passed several Assini-
boine camps of this summer on the banks of the river;
they consisted of from 30 to 70 tents. These people are
remarkable for choosing the most delightful spots to pitch
their tents, commonly on elevated places, where there is no
wood to interrupt the view. They would be a happy
people, were it not for their continual wars and the fre-
quent quarrels among themselves, which generally end in
bloodshed. The common causes of these quarrels are
women and horses.

We attempted to cross the river, but found the water too
high, and continued on the N. side. This lengthened our
route some miles, as the river here makes a considerable
bend to the N. W.; however, to make up for this, we
pushed on faster than usual. The cool of the evening was

308 NORTH ANTLER CREEK— MOOSE MOUNTAIN.

in our favor, and at six o'clock we came to the little river
of Tete a la Biche." We had much trouble to cross it, in
mud up to our horses' bellies.

Here we stopped for the night on a beautiful high hill,
at the foot of which flowed the little river. From Riviere
la Souris we got some dry wood, and kindled a good fire.
A cool breeze sprang up from the N. W., and kept down
the mosquitoes. We had seen buffalo in great numbers
westward of us, and as they were just entering the rutting
season, they made a terrible bellowing during the night.
We found great plenty of pears along the little river, almost
ripe, and very good eating.

Our course this day has been about W. S. W., the same
as yesterday, mostly along the banks of the river, excepting
at some of the great windings, which we did not follow.
Riviere la Souris, thus far up, is but thinly wooded ; at some
places, there is none at all for several miles. The land
on each side is high, and stretches out into the level prairie ;
as far as the eye can reach no wood is to be seen in any
direction. The little river we have just crossed arises in a
range of hills called Tete a la Biche, about lo leagues W.
N. W. from this ; the banks are very high and free from

'3 Tete a la Biche was the name of a considerable elevation N. W. of Henry's
present position, now called Moose mt., and also of three streams which seek
Mouse r. from that quarter. The largest one of these is present Moose Moun-
tain cr., which comes S. E. from Moose Mountain 1., near Hurricane hills,
past Moose mt., and then turns S. to enter Mouse r., near Oxbow sta. of the
Souris branch of the C. P. Ry., in Tp, 3, R. ii, W. of the 2d initial merid.
This creek is nowhere near Henry's route. The first and second Tete a la
Eiche crs. he crosses at their mouths are those now known respectively as N.
Antler and S. Antler cr. They come from Moose mt. and vicinity, on approx.
parallel courses, run S., then loop E. from Assiniboia into Manitoba, and
finally nearly N., to fall into Mouse r. close together, at and near Sourisford,
in Tp. 2, R. xxvii, W. of the princ. merid., almost exactly at long. 101° W. N.
Antler cr. lies wholly in British America ; S. Antler cr. loops slightly over lat.
49° N., and thus enters the U. S., meandering the international boundary for
a few miles. Several lesser streams run parallel with these Antler crs., N. of
them, to fall into Mouse r. lower down, or lose themselves in sinks before
reaching it. Two, which effect a confluence, are called Graham cr. and Jack-
son cr. ; Henry has passed them both, and camps at the mouth of N. Antler cr.

TURTLE MOUNTAIN SIGHTED AND NOTED. 309

wood. From our camp we have a good view of Turtle
mountain," about eight leagues E. of us. Our most
direct route would have been along the W. extremity of
that mountain ; but we had been informed that a number
of Crees and Assiniboines were tented there, who would
certainly steal our horses if they could — even pillage, and,
perhaps, murder us, as they disapprove of our taking arms
and ammunition to the Missourie to supply the natives
there, with whom they are often at war. We, therefore,
thought it prudent to make this circuit to avoid them. It
is called 30 leagues from the establishment on the Assini-
boine to our present camp.

We kept watch all night, each in turn. Some herds
of buffalo passed near us ; the noise they made startled our
horses and made them uneasy for the night ; they ap-
peared in one body from E. to W., on a quick pace, as 'if
lately chased by horsemen.

July i6th. At daybreak we saddled, but, on mounting, I
found my seat very uncomfortable, having a blister the size
of a hen's ^gg under each thigh, occasioned by the excessive
heat of yesterday and the continual friction between my
saddle and leather trousers. The horse I rode was a cruel
beast, with the worst trot I ever saw ; both blisters burst
soon, and I was in great pain.

''^The distance of Turtle mt. from Mouse r., on the parallel of 49° N., is
20 m. Henry's camp is further N., and consequently at a little greater dis-
tance. Though Turtle mt. is by far the most conspicuous object in this region,
its actual elevation at the highest point is only 500 feet above the general level
of the country. It lies diagonally across the parallel of 49°, with about one-
third of its extent in the British Possessions ; the width of the mountain from
E. to W., along the line of the boundary, is 34 ni.; its greatest length, from
N. W. to S. E., is considerably more. The ascent on the E. is very gradual,
but on the W. the acclivity is quite abrupt, and one descends quickly into the
valley of Mouse r. Two special points near the S. W. border of the mountain
are known as Bear Butte and Butte St. Paul. The mountain is simply a mass
of drift, heavily wooded ; the surface is dotted with many little lakes, one of
the largest of which, on the line of the boundary, and more than a mile wide,
is Lake Farquhar, so-called for the late Major F. U. Farquhar, U. S. A., chief
astronomer of the U. S. Northern Boundary Survey, before that position was
held by the late Major William J. Twining, U. S. A.

3IO SOUTH ANTLER CREEK — MOUSE RIVER LEFT.

At eight o'clock we crossed another little river [South
Antler creek], which takes its rise out of the same Tete a
la Biche. This branch is much broader and deeper than
the other [North Antler creek]. The banks appeared tol-
erably well wooded, as far as we could see. At its junction
with Riviere la Souris the latter ceases to have any-
wood. The banks here diminish, so that only a few miles
higher up the water appears upon a level with the plains,
and looks more like a chain of lakes surrounded by rushes
and long, coarse grass. Here it also changes its course,
coming from the S. E.; this direction it keeps for about 20
leagues, as far up as Riviere aux Saules [Willow creek],
when it again assumes the appearance of a river, is well
wooded upon both sides, and the banks are much higher.
On this little river [South Antler creek] we found plenty of
pears, nearly ripe ; we gathered a good stock, as our guide
informed us that we had an extensive plain to cross, and
should see no more wood until to-morrow, and even water
would be scarce.

At nine o'clock we left [Mouse] river and directed our
course S. S. W. on a level plain." We soon fell in with
buffalo, all in motion, from E. to W., bellowing and tear-
ing up the ground as they went on. We killed a bull,
the flesh of which is more palatable at this season than the
cow. We took each a few slices and continued on our
journey. We saw numbers of cabbrie" of two different

^^ Henry has by this time crossed the boundary of the United States, and en-
tered North Dakota, in the N. W. corner of Bottineau Co. He leaves Mouse
r. on his left as he proceeds S. S. W. over the prairie. It will be difficult to
follow him exactly, as his itinerary is not very precise; his courses and distances
are mere estimates, and there are few good landmarks in the great loop of
Mouse r. upon which he has entered. Regarding his compass-points, it may
be observed that the magnetic variation is here about 17° E., so that his
assumed " S. S. W." is considerably out of the way, and his actual course is more
westerly. The first stream he strikes is his Riviere Pie, now Cut Bank cr. R.
aux Saules or Willow cr. is higher up, and on the other side of Mouse r.

''^ It is scarcely necessary to remark here that there is but one species of
" cabbrie" in North America ; and that the differences noted by Henry, so far
as actually existent, are due to the age and sex of the common antelope,

CUT BANK CREEK — MURDER OF MENARD. 311

kinds, some almost as large as fallow deer, and others much
smaller, red and white spotted ; the latter had young, and
did not appear so shy as those we had seen before. The
young ones, sighting us, would run up to us within a few
yards, while the dams would come on behind them with
more caution, until their curiosity was satisfied.

At noon we stopped to refresh our horses; in an hour
we were again on our march, and at four o'clock crossed
Riviere P16," which takes its rise in Moose mountain about
15 leagues W. from this, and, after a course of about 20
leagues through an open plain, empties into Riviere la
Souris, a few leagues below Riviere aux Saules. Along this
river no wood grows except a few stunted willows. At this
place old Menard" was pillaged and murdered by three

Antilocapra americana (which Umfreville calls apistochikoshish, p. 165,
1790). Fallow deer is Henry's name of the common deer, Cariacus vir^
ginianus.

"' Cut Bank cr., the largest and only considerable tributary of Mouse r. from
the W. within the loop this river makes in N. Dakota. On the parallel of 49?
N., the point where Mouse r. enters N. Dakota is 50 m. W. of the point
where, having made its bold sweep southward and looped back upon itself, it
recrosses the boundary of the U. S. at 49° N. again, 20 m. W. of Turtle mt.
Cut Bank cr. traverses this loop southeastwardly, to fall into Mouse r. near Wood
End; it thus lies directly across Henry's southwesterly trail. We can hardly
say how high up he struck it, but the place was in Renville Co., not far from
the N. W. corner of McHenry Co. The G. L, O. map of 1892 letters the
stream " Cub Bank Cr."

^' In L. and C, p. 178, note '^, I cite a passage from Clark, Codex C 59,
which relates that "a french man has latterly been killed by the Indians on
the Track to the tradeing establishment on the Ossineboine R." I had at the
time no clew to the identity of the murdered Frenchman, but have now no
doubt that Clark referred to the " old Menard " here mentioned by Henry, as it
is not likely that any other murder would fit the requirements of Clark's rela-
tions so closely as this one does. There were various other Menards in the
fur-trade. — Joseph Menard of the N. W. Co. was a foreman in the Athabasca
Dept. in 1804.— Pierre Menard of Quebec, b. 1767, was at Vincennes as agt.
of Col. Vigo, 17S6, and in 1808 associated himself with Manuel de Lisa : see L.
and C. ed. 1893; he died at Kaskaskia, 1814 : biogr. in Tasse, II. pp. 55-72. He
had two brothers, Fran9ois and Hippolyte, both of whom left Quebec for Kas-
kaskia, 1795: biogr. of Fran9ois in Tasse, II. pp. 73-8i- He had a son,
Pierre Menard, jun.— Michel Branamour Menard, nephew of Col. Pierre
Menard of Kaskaskia, b. La Prairie, Canada, Dec. 5th, 1805; traded at Kas-

212 CUISINE A LA BOIS DE VACHE.

Assiniboines in 1803, on his way to the Missourie. Having
crossed this river, we pushed on as fast as possible, some-
times on a gallop, and never slower than a trot, until sun-
set, when we stopped for the night on the open plains.

We found much water on this low and level plain, and, of
course, mosquitoes in abundance. We fell to work collect-
ing buffalo dung, of which there was no scarcity; it was
damp from the late heavy rains, and would emit no flame ;
but, having set fire to a great pile, it made a good smudge.
Having no kettle to cook with, we broiled our bull's flesh
upon the dung and ate a hearty supper, though none of the
most palatable or best flavored, as the meat tasted of dung.
The weather was sultry and overcast, which increased the
clouds of mosquitoes intolerably. Soon after dark it began
to rain, and, not being provided with tent poles or any sub-
stitute for them, we were soon wet to the skin, and our
fire, or rather smoke, was as soon extinguished. The night
was so dark we could not see one another, and our horses,
enraged by the swarms of mosquitoes which attacked them,
were very unruly; we dreaded lest their fetters should give
way, when they might trample some of us, or run ofT.
About midnight the long line of one of them broke, but his
fore feet were still tied together above the hoof, as we
generally hopple horses in the North West. In jumping
and prancing about his hoof came down upon the shin-
bone of our guide, who was stretched upon his back. The
horse was a heavy beast, and the poor old Indian com-
plained bitterly of the pain. We were apprehensive the
bone had been broken, but could give him no assistance, as
it was impossible to strike a light. We passed the night
defending ourselves from the horses and the mosquitoes ;
the poor fellow had a miserable time, moaning pitifully.
When day appeared we examined his leg and found the
flesh bruised shockingly, very much swelled, and of all

kaskia for some years; went to Nacogdoches, Tex., about 1833 or 1834; took
part in the convention which proclaimed Texas independent, 1836 ; represented
Galveston Co. in Congress, 1838, and d. at Galveston, 1856.

MOUSE RIVER REGAINED AND CROSSED. 313

colors of the rainbow. However, we got him on horse-
back ; he was really an object of pity, and no such a sly
scoundrel as that old Indian we picked up on the road be-
tween Portage la Prairie and Riviere la Souris, who, notwith-
standing his groans and lamentations on our leaving him at
Riviere aux Epinettes, arrived at Riviere la Souris about
two hours after us. That old vagabond, perceiving that I
had an extra horse, schemed to ride, that he might reach the
fort the sooner, in expectation of getting rum for payment
of his trip to Portage la Prairie.

July lyth. Having thus mounted our guide, we left
this disagreeable camp as fast as possible, directing our
course by the compass the same as yesterday, S. S. W.
We once more came to Riviere la Souris, at what is called
the upper end of the wood." The river runs here from W.
to E.; it is broad and deep, with a gentle current, entirely
free from rapids. Westward, no wood of any kind is to be
seen. We had some trouble to find a proper ford, and
were obliged to go down river some miles. At the begin-
ning of the wood we killed a fat bull and took some choice
pieces. Having crossed the river with some difficulty, we
determined to stop here and wait for fair weather, as we

'* It is difficult, if not impossible, to determine within five or ten miles the
point at which Henry strikes Mouse r. again. He has come across country, on
no road, by uncorrected compass-points, at only estimated distances, diagonally
toward the river. If we hold him to a continuation of the course of the i6th,
which in fact is nearly that of the 15 th also, we may bring him to Mouse r. a
little below the boundary between Renville and Wood cos., say 18 m. above
Burlington and 26 above Minot. Then he goes down the river "some
miles " to find a ford. In 1873 I came along in his tracks as he goes down this
piece, but my memory does not serve me now about the point " called the upper
end of the wood." Burlington, Ward Co., is at the junction of Riviere des
Lacs, a stream which arises about the Hill of the Murdered Scout, at 49°, and
skirts Mouse r. on the W. for the whole of its course, till it falls into the
latter at Burlington. Minot is the county town, and notable as being where
the Grt. N. Ry. crosses Mouse r. Logan is another place on Mouse r., about
10 m. below Minot; Echo is a third, 6 m. further down. Minot is nearly
due N. of Fort Stevenson, on the Missouri, distant 46 m., and also due N.
of the point (mouth of Miry or Snake or.) where Henry is going to strike the
Missouri.

314 THE PROSPECT IN CAMP ON MOUSE RIVER.

were heartily tired of being drenched in the rain, which
still continued, and our guide told us that we should see no
more wood until we reached the Missourie. Here we had
plenty of good dry wood, and, having no notion of making
a second supper upon buffalo dung steaks, we made a
rousing good fire.

From the little river of Tete a la Biche [North Antler
creek] to this place is about 25 leagues S. S. W. over a low,
level plain, until we approach the banks of this river, when
the country begins to be hilly and rough, with deep valleys.
The hills are generally covered with large round stones,
some of great size, and at a distance appearing like pitched
tents. From the summits of those barren hills we could
discern others as far as the eye could reach, on which the
bulls grazing appeared like so many black spots. We often
mistook red deer and other animals at a distance for people
on horseback, until we examined them through our spyglass.
In the afternoon the weather cleared up, with a strong
S. E. wind ; we had no mosquitoes, and passed an agreeable
night, though we were anxious about our horses, as the
Assiniboines follow people for days unperceived, watch
a favorable moment, and, when least suspected, make off
with all the horses, leaving our people with their property
to shift for themselves. And now that we are near the
border of the Jlissourie plains,^" we must be on our guard
against the Sioux, the natural enemies of all the tribes in
these parts. They perpetually wander about in search of
straggling Mandanes or Big Bellies, and sometimes even
cross Riviere la Souris in hopes of falling in with Assini-
boines and Crees, who frequently hunt along this river,
particularly in winter, as summer would be too dangerous
for them to advance so far S. E. We kept watch, as usual,
during the night.

July i8th. At four o'clock we left camp and ascended

^^ That is, are soon to be upon the Coteau du Missouri, which separates the
waters of the Missouri basin from those of Mouse r. and so of the Assiniboine
and Saskatchewan.

SOUTH TO THE COTEAU DU MISSOURI. 315

the high banks of the river, directing our course S. My
horse had made so many blisters under my thighs that I
was obliged to exchange with one of my people for one that
would carry me more easily. Soon after getting up the
high banks we fell into a rougher country than we had seen
before, up steep hills and down low valleys in continual
succession. We crossed three small rivers^' that came
from the S. W. and emptied into Riviere la Souris ; along
those rivers we saw fresh vestiges of beaver, and I suppose
they are numerous. The hills are covered with huge stones ;
there is no wood of any kind. We passed several lakes
among the hills, from one to five miles in circumference,
with gravelly and sandy shores.

At one of these delightful lakes we stopped a couple of
hours, but found the water very bad, of a sulphurous taste
and smell. Here we killed a very fat bull ; the back-fat
or depouille was two inches thick. The cows often have
depouille of this thickness, and some even three inches ;
but this is rare, the common condition being from one to
two inches. Bulls seldom have much depouille ; their fat
is principally inside the animal. The one we killed would
have produced nearly a hundredweight of tallow from his
inside alone.

At one o'clock we saddled and proceeded. Soon coming
to the top of a high hill, we perceived a long lake to the
S. W., running N. and S., with a cluster of wood at the N.
extremity ; this surprised our guide, who said he never

^' The largest of these being Riviere des Lacs, already noted, and the others
being two of the numerous coulees or washes which make down from the
Coteau du Missouri to Des Lacs and Mouse rs., from the W. and S. \V.
These may be perfectly dry, but in such a wet season as Henry's was would
run water. In striking southward for the Coteau Henry crosses the line of the
Grt. Nor. Ry. in the vicinity of Des Lacs sta., or rather a little W. of this,
nearer Lone Tree and Berthold sta. He at once gets into rough, hilly coun-
try, the beginning of the higher ground which forms the ridge of the Coteau
and bluffs back of Mouse r. from its southerly course, causing this stream
to loop E. and then N., and thus forming that bight which is so remarkable a
feature of the stream. Henry continues in Ward Co. until he is fairly over the
Coteau, and then enters Stevens Co.

3l6 DOG DEN— ALKALI — THE MISSOURI SIGHTED.

knew of any wooded lake in this plain, and that we must
be far from the direct route. One of my people who had
been at the Missourie said it resembled the lake where
Morgan and Mooney were murdered a few years ago by
the Sioux, near the Mission du Chien;''' but our guide was
of a contrary opinion, and said we must be too far westward.
However, went to a narrow strait in the lake about 30
yards wide, where we crossed, having the water up to our
saddles, but a good sandy bottom. We attempted to
drink, but found the water to be nauseous and sulphurous,
though perfectly clear. After the horses had got dry they
were perfectly incrusted with the white saline particles for
the rest of the day. I have observed that such small lakes
in the plains generally have the same nauseous waters.
The beach is often covered with a salt which has the same
taste as Glauber's" and produces the same effect. Even
the water causes a looseness in a very short time. Fresh
water is now plenty in rain pools, but when the season is
dry is to be found only in the rivers and large lakes.

We continued on our S. course until five o'clock, when,
ascending a range of very high hills running E. and W., we
could discern through the spyglass the high red banks of
the Missourie, about six leagues distant. Here we had a
long consultation. Some of the party assured me it was the

^' Sic : read Maison du Chien and translate Dog's House or Dog's Den.
This is a conspicuous elevation on the edge of the Coteau du Missouri, now
called Dog Den butte ; place there whose name I find mapped as " Dogden,"
in the S. W. portion of Church Co. There is a considerable lake about 5 m.
from the butte, very likely the one at which the text says Morgan and Mooney
were murdered. But the guide was right in maintaining that the lake they saw
now was not this one, for they are evidently many miles W. of it, holding a S.
course from Mouse r. On the return trip, Henry keeps much further E., and
then passes near the Dog's Den, which he notices by name. It is a conspicu-
ous landmark for shaping one's direct course between Mouse r. and the
Missouri. Thompson's MS. notes it particularly, with bearings and distances.

2^ The principal ingredient of the alkali with which the water of these small
lakes is saturated is in fact Glauber's salt — sulphate of soda. I have myself
seen in this region many pools whose banks were as white as if drifted with
snow, and whose water would be undrinkable, even to the traveler who should
be perishing with thirst.

LOST ON THE COTEAU— ALARMING OBJECTS. 317

very spot where the Pawnee village is situated, 60 leagues
below the Mandanes ; whilst others, including our guide,
insisted that we were too high up river. Our situation was
perplexing, and it remained with me to determine what
course we should pursue. I was at a loss. If we were
below the Mandanes, and persisted in following the river
downward, we should fall in with the Pawnees or the Titons,
both of which nations we supposed to be at war with
the Mandanes and would have no mercy upon us. On
the other hand, if we were above the villages and kept
on westward, as some of our party were inclined to do, we
might travel to the south branch of the Saskatchewan with-
out finding anybody except some war party, who would soon
end our troubles by knocking us in the head. Supposing
we should go directly to the Missourie and follow it either
up or down, none of us, not even the guide, knew of any
particular object along the river to show us where we were.
While smoking and talking the matter over we saw two
bulls coming round a hill, grazing as they went slowly on.
This alarmed some of our people, who insisted it was two
horsemen coming toward us ; Veaudrie and Ducharme even
persuaded themselves that they could see the riders whip-
ping and kicking their horses, as is the Indian custom when
they ride at full speed. But I could plainly see that the
two animals were walking slowly, feeding as they went, and
that what was supposed to be the riders' arms lashing away
was the bulls' tails, which were kept in continual motion
to drive away the flies. Veaudrie was all consternation,
and imagined himself near his last moments; he openly
regretted having accompanied me, and declared that no
consideration whatever would induce him to undertake
another such journey, could he but escape the present
danger. Meanwhile the bulls disappeared behind a rising
ground ; but this only increased the anxiety of V. and D.,
who supposed the enemy were surrounding us. We rode
off toward a high hill, on the top of which was a person
who had gone there with the spying-glass before the suspi-

3l8 ENTRENCHED CAMP — THE OUTLOOK.

cious objects appeared. Having joined him, he informed
us they were bulls. Bravery instantly appeared on the
countenances of those who, a few moments before, had
given themselves up for lost.

Being still undetermined what course to take, we thought
best to remain on the hill for the night.'* Accordingly, we
collected a quantity of buffalo dung, which we found tol-
erably dry on this elevated spot, made a good fire, and
formed a kind of entrenchment around it with our baggage,
saddles, and some large stones. From our camp we had a
delightful prospect. Southward were the steep red banks
of the Missourie, about five leagues distant, beyond which
the land appeared still to rise in a range of very high blue
hills running E. and W. On the S. W. about three [?]
leagues distant, appeared a range of barren hills, the high-
est we had yet seen ; we afterward were informed it
was the banks of the Little Missourie. To the N. W. and
N. the country stretched into a smooth, level plain, with
a number of small lakes, whose white shores beautifully
contrasted with the adjoining verdure. At some distance
beyond these lakes the land appeared to rise into high
hills, covered with large round stones. Eastward there
appeared a level country as far as the eye could reach. No
wood was to be seen in any direction, for what there is of
it upon the Missourie stands upon the borders of the river,
below the high banks, and cannot be seen until these are
reached. We determined to keep watch during the night.
Our horses were tied where they had plenty of good grass,
and each of us in our turn went the rounds.

**This camp may be approximately located on the border of Stevens Co.
next to Garfield — possibly further W. still, in Garfield Co., about the boundary
of the present Berthold Indian reservation. Neither of these counties has been
surveyed, and in fact we know little more of the topographical details of Henry's
present position than we gather from his manuscript. This blank occurs on
the best maps, both civil and military, that we possess. The approximate loca-
tion that I venture is inferred partly from the general "south" course since
leaving Mouse r. and the supposed length of a full day's journey, but more
from the statement we have for next day, when, after an hour's travel, the
guide recognized the Snake's Den, then bearing about I2 m. E. S. E.

SULLEN SILENCE— snake's DEN SIGHTED. 319

July igth. At daybreak it was very cold, and our fingers
were benumbed in saddling. Sullen silence reigned. I
must confess my mind was not at ease, my people being so
far from agreeing as to our situation. Three of them had
already been to the Mandanes, one of them no later than
last year. It was those very fellows who insisted that we
were too low down. The western ^^ course we had kept since
leaving Riviere la Souris establishment persuaded me that
our guide was right, and that we must be above the vil-
lages ; but having many voices against me, I did not wish
to insist upon it. I, therefore, desired my guide to go
which way he thought proper, either E. or W. He
instantly mounted his horse and turned eastward, edging
for the Missourie. Some murmured, others were silent ;
but all followed him. Soon after leaving camp we found
the carcass of a cow, which had been lately killed, and the
head opened to take out the brains. This revived the
drooping spirits of some of our party ; as no war party
would take out the brains of an animal, it must have been
done by some hunters, who we hoped were Mandanes.

At eight o'clock we crossed the miry, muddy rivulet,"
which appears to come from the salt lake we passed yester-
day, and empties into the Missourie. At nine o'clock, on
ascending a high hill, our guide pointed out the Loge
de Serpent," distant about five leagues E. S. E. This dis-

^° Henry does not mean that the course had been " west," but simply that from
the beginning of the journey they had held considerably W. of S., in com-
parison with the more directly S. course usually traveled from the " Riviere
la Souris establishment " at the confluence of Mouse r. with the Assiniboine.

^* I do not venture upon any identification of this " miry, muddy rivulet," in
the uncertainty attending Henry's route from Mouse r. , and in our ignorance
of the topography of most of Stevens and Garfield cos. When these are sur-
veyed and mapped, it may not be difficult to lay down Henry's trail from the
topographical details he gives. At present, I can only refer to L. and C, ed.
1893, p. 269, for what is said of that stream which the explorers called Onion cr.
This, or one very near it, may turn out to be the "miry, muddy rivulet " which
Henry mentions.

^^ Well known as the Snake's Den — an eminent landmark at the mouth of
Miry or Snake cr., where Henry is about to strike the Missouri. The state-

320 SPEECH RECOVERED— THE MISSOURI STRUCK.

covery had an immediate effect ; like so many Quakers
whom the spirit moved, all instantly recovered the power
of speech, and our guide was pestered with idle questions.
Was he sure he was not mistaken ? Did he really remem-
ber the place ? Might not some other place resemble it?
What particular object did he see to convince him he was
right ? The poor fellow lost all patience, and would
answer no such foolishness. We jogged on till noon as
fa:st as our fatigued beasts would go, passing three rivu-
lets,'' near which stand several conical hills, from 50 to 100
feet high. They appear to be composed of soft red
gravel, with streaks of white and blue, without any vegeta-
tion whatever, and at a distance look like brick buildings.

We soon sighted the waters of the Missourie, and de-
scended the high banks at the entrance of Riviere Bour-
beuse.^' We had much difficulty in crossing this small river,
as both sides were soft clay, into which our horses sunk
deeply. Having washed and cleaned them> and ourselves in
the Missourie, we stopped to allow our horses to feed. We
saw many tracks of the natives on the beach, going and
coming, some quite fresh ; also, an abundance of last year's
corn-cobs. We surprised two fallow deer lying in the hol-
low, but they escaped, although we started them not 10
yards off.

ment that this place is " about 5 leagues E. S. E." serves to fix the position of
the party for the first time since they left Mouse r. They have certainly been
blundering too far westward.

3* Two creeks which answer to these fall into the Missouri at Fort Stevenson
(abandoned by the military in the summer of 1883, and used for Indian school
purposes since December of that year). These two creeks are Douglass and
Garrison, the latter the lower one. In fact they form but forks of one, as they
now unite in the river-bottom before falling into the Missouri. The fort
stands on the bank between these ; the bottom is full of brush, diamond wil-
low {Salix cordata), etc. Either of these creeks may branch S. of Henry's trail,
and thus count as two, making the " three" he enumerates.

39 Miry cr. or r., of L. and C, ed. 1893, pp. 261, 1 176, translating the then
current F. name Bourbeuse ; also Mirey and Myry in the codices ; now
Snake cr., so-called from the name of the bold bluffs Henry mentions as the
Loge de Serpent. This stream flows S. W. into the Missouri, in McLean
Co. , 6 m. by the road from Fort Stevenson, in Stevens Co.

SNAKE AND WOLF CREEKS — PRICKLY PEAR. 32 I

At two o'clock we saddled and proceeded along the
water-side, at the foot of the Loge de Serpent/" which is a
stupendous bank on the N. side of the Missourie, about
300 feet perpendicular ; the side fronting the river is steep
and bare, composed of red gravel mixed with flat, crum-
bling stones of a bluish and iron color with streaks of white.
From the face of this bank issue several rills of clear, cold
water, in some places boiling up several inches, and having
the same taste as mineral springs.

A short distance from the foot of this bank stands the
Big Belly winter village." The water was so high that
the huts appeared almost overflowed. Near this place are
great quantities of fruit, all perfectly ripe — pears, choke-
cherries, red cherries, raspberries, and gooseberries.
Pomme de raquette " grows here in great plenty and very
large, some the size of the hand ; it is painful to horses,
when they happen to tread upon it, for the points project
on all sides, as strong and sharp as awls. The plants lie in
clusters on the ground, and are generally flat and green.
The river here is well wooded on every low point, where it
does not approach too near the high banks.

Having passed this place we proceeded over a rough
country for a few miles to a high, steep bank, which our
horses could hardly climb. We were obliged to walk most
of the way, as it was impossible for horses to ascend such
heights with a rider, and were all quite harassed when we

*" Snake hill, noted in L. and C, ed. 1S93, p. 261, as " a hill called Snake
den," thus translating F. Loge de Serpent. In connection with this hill, L. and
C. note "a small run" on the right, which they make 7.% m. below the mouth
of Miry cr. This is now known as Wolf cr., falling in at lat. 47° 80' N., in
McLean Co.

*' "On the north a hunting-camp of Minnetarees, consisting of 30 lodges, built
in the usual form of earth and timber," L. and C, ed. 1893, p. 261, where this
camp or village is located 2.% m. below Miry cr., and, therefore, about the
mouth of Wolf cr.

42 The prickly-pear {Opuntia), so called from the racket-shaped, or rather
oval, flat, and fleshy joints of the stem, beset with prickles, and bearing upon
their edges a juicy fruit, the " pommes " of the Canadians, and the " tunas " of
the Spanish-Americans.

322 UPPER BIG BELLY VILLAGE ON KNIFE RIVER.

reached the summit of this last hill. Here we had a
delightful and extensive prospect of the river in both
directions. Its borders are well lined with wood of various
kinds. The valley through which the river courses is
about two miles wide, confined on both sides by stupendous
banks, on which nothing grows but a short grass. In
many places, where the bends encroach on the banks, these
are entirely naked, large fragments of soil having given
way and fallen either into the river or plains. Our situa-
tion was so elevated as to make the large trees below us
appear like mere bushes. This spot is one of the most
elevated pieces of ground on the banks of the Missourie.
The water overflows the lower bank in many places in the
spring on the breaking up of the ice ; the current, of
course, must be then increased to an astonishing velocity.

We had now a well-beaten path, but were several times
in danger of breaking our necks in deep pits which the
natives had dug in the path to catch wolves and foxes in
winter. Some of them are lo feet deep, hollowed out to a
space about 30 feet in circumference, whilst the entrance is
no wider than the foot-path and about five feet in length.
Those holes are covered with dry grass at the season when
wolves are good, and every morning are found to contain
some of those animals. In summer the grass grows strong
and high about the mouths, entirely concealing them, until
one arrives upon the very brink and is in danger of tumb-
ling in headlong.

At four o'clock we descended a large sloping hill and
arrived at the river-side opposite the upper Big Belly vil-
lage," which is situated on Knife river, about one mile from
the Missourie. Here we stopped, called out, and waited

*^ This, the main or larger of the two Minnetaree, Grosventre, or Hidatsa
villages, was situated on the JV. side of Knife r., about i^ m. above its mouth,
and thus in the immediate vicinity of the present town of Causey, Mercer Co. :
see L. and C, ch. v., passim, esp. pp. 184, 198, 1177. This is the Jiftk
and last, or uppermost, of the villages of which L. and C. treat, and was the
residence of Le Borgne.

LOWER BIG BELLY, SOULIER, AND MANDAN VILL. 323

some time for the natives to come and ferry us over, but
they appeared to take Httle notice of us. We mounted,
and went down river about five miles to that Mandane vil-
lage" which is situated on the N. side of the river ; having
noticed, as we passed down, the little Big Belly village," and
the Saulteur [stc^ village," both situated on the S. side.

Before we reached the [Mandan] village, we passed
through a wood about two miles long. The road was bad,
deep with mud and mire, the river having overflowed there
lately. Having got through this wood, we came to several
plantations of corn, beans, squashes, and sunflowers — the
latter, indeed, grow in every direction, without cultivation,
at some distance from the fields, where the seed has been
carried by the wind ; but such are never gathered by the
natives, as they are not so good as those that have been
properly sown and taken care of. We passed through one
of the old villages, abandoned a few years ago ; the soil in

** The second of the two Mandan villages of L. and C, " which is called
Rooptahee," p. 183. This was on the N. side of the Missouri, and was the only
one of the five thus situated. It was about 4 m. by river above the site of Fort
Mandan, and somewhat above the first Mandan village, on the S., "at the dis-
tance of three miles across," p. 197. In Rooptahee lived Poscopsahe, or Black
Cat, " the first chief of the village and the grand chief of the whole Mandan
nation," p. 183.

*^ The /ourik of the five villages of L. and C. — " the fourth village, where the
Minnetarees live, and which is called Metaharta," p. 183 ; " on the south side of
the same Knife river, half a mile above the Mahaha [village] and in the same
open plain with it is a village of the Minnetarees surnamed Metaharta," p.
198 : see also p. 1178.

" The tkird of the five villages of L. and C. — " the third village, which is
called Mahawha [or Mahaha or Maharhar] and where the Arwacahwas reside,"
p. 183 ; " a village of Ahnahaways," p. 180 ; " of the Wetersoon or Ahwahhar-
ways," p. 180 ; " situated on a high plain at the mouth of Knife river, and is
the residence of the Ahnahaways, . . . called by the French Soulier Noir or
[Black] Shoe Indians ; by the MandansWattasoons," p. 197: see also p. 1178.
These Indians, whom Henry or his copyist miscalls Sauiteurs, were known to
the French as Gens des Souliers, and so called by Lewis in his Statistical View,
1809, p. 20. They kept up a separate tribal organization for about 30 years
after Henry found them, and then merged in the Hidatsas. Their proper name
is Amahami. Their village was only about half a mile from Metaharta. The
locality of both is the present site of Stanton, Mercer Co.

324 DESERTED VILLAGE — HOSPITABLE BLACK CAT.

its environs not producing so well as formerly, they have
now built about a mile lower down the river. Near this
deserted village*' we saw great numbers of their dead ex-
posed upon stages about eight feet from the ground. Many
of the coverings, which are generally of dressed leather and
parchment, were still very good, whilst others were decayed,
and nothing but the bones appeared ; others, again, were
decaying and falling to the ground as the stages went to
pieces.. This melancholy sight cast a damper on our spirits,
which had been enlivened by reaching our destination.

We soon met a Mandane, well armed with his gun, etc.;
he accompanied a party of women hoeing corn, and served
as their guard. On perceiving us, he came up and shook
hands in a friendly manner, and expressed himself by signs
that we should put up at his village. We saw many chil-
dren and women at work in the cornfield. Just before we
entered the village we were met by the chief of the place,
Le Chat Noir," and a number of the natives ; everyone
shook hands and bade us welcome as we rode on through
their ranks. The chief then conducted us to one of his
huts, which was appropriated for the reception of strangers.
He has another, in which most of his family reside. He
keeps one of his wives in the house we entered, to wait
upon his guests, cook, bring water, and even serve as a bed-
fellow when required. In a moment the whole village
flocked around us, curious to see what articles we had
brought to trade ; but they were neither troublesome nor
impertinent. Having unsaddled and taken our baggage
into the hut, the chief gave our horses in charge of a young
man, and told us we need not be uneasy, as good care

'•'' One of the t2uo that were on the N. side of the Missouri till after 1798 :
" the two villages on the northwest side of the Missouri. . . In this situation
they were found by those who visited them in 1796 ; since which the two vil-
lages have united into one," L. and C, p. 197. The two that were inhabited
at the time of Henry's visit were the one on the N. and the other on the S. side
of the river, respectively the second 2i\\A \\\& Jirst of L. and C.

*^ The Black Cat, otherwise Poscopsahe, of L. and C, passim, esp. pp. 183,
231, 1178.

BILL OF FARE — CARE OF HORSES. 325

would be taken of them. On going into the hut we found
buffalo hides spread on the ground before the fire for us to
sit upon, and were presented with two large dishes of boiled
corn and beans. After that they gave us a large dish of
boiled dried meat ; but few of us could eat of it, as it had
too strong a taste and smell. This was just to their own
palate, as they seldom eat meat until it begins to smell.
We were invited into several huts successively and pre-
sented with dried meat in a state of corruption, corn and
beans, together with parched corn and fresh ears pounded
up in a wooden mortar ; this last dish we found good.

They soon asked us to trade, and brought buffalo robes,
corn, beans, dried squashes, etc.; but we informed them
that we did not come here for that purpose, merely to visit
them and see the country. They could not comprehend
why we should have come so far out of mere curiosity, and
said that all white people who came there did so with a
view to trade. They suspected that we had goods which
we wished to take over the river to the other villages, and
were anxious to prevent it. They plagued us until dark,
when they retired disappointed.

Our young man brought the horses and put them into
the hut with us, at the right hand on entering, we being on
the left ; a space was inclosed with a railing to keep them
within bounds. It is customary for these people to occupy
one side of the hut and the horses the other ; their habita-
tions consequently have an offensive smell to the nose of a
stranger. This is a precaution to keep the horses from be-
ing stolen by the Assiniboines and other enemies, who
frequently lurk about the village.

Toward evening, having gone down to the river-side, I
observed their custom of washing themselves in the Mis-
sourie. Both men and women make it a rule to go down to
the river and wash every morning and evening. The men
use clay to wash their hair, which answers the purpose of
soap to take out the white and red earth with which they
daub it afresh every morning. Modesty in the female sex

326 SCENIC EFFECTS OF EDENIC SIMPLICITY.

appears to be a virtue unknown. The women wear a kind
of leather shift which reaches down to the calves of their
legs ; this they slip off at some distance from the shore and
walk deliberately into the water, entirely naked, in the
presence of numbers of men, both old and young, who pay
no attention to them. Some few are modest enough to
conceal with one hand what should not be exposed to pub-
lic view, but even this is done so carelessly as seldom to
answer the purpose — a flea or a louse, of which they have a
good store, will make them raise the hand to the parts
attacked, leaving their nudities exposed. The river being
very shallow for some distance from shore, they make no
scruple of standing only knee deep, and thus wash them-
selves before going out further to swim ; and in coming out
they pass close by you as unconcernedly as if they had on a
petticoat or shift. They sometimes bundle up their leather
garment under the arm or in one hand and walk deliberately
into the village to their own huts, where they sit by the fire
to dry themselves in the presence of everyone ; and then,
having chatted for some time with their famihes, they go to
bed entirely naked. The men wear no other covering in
summer than buffalo robes, and even those are seldom worn
within doors, being only thrown on when they go out to
visit or walk about the village. Both sexes sleep naked ;
their beds are raised about two feet from the ground and
hung around with dressed skins ; in summer they seldom
ever use any covering at night, but lie like so many brutes.
This evening we were plagued for some time by young
women, who came in and wanted to lie with us ; but as we
did not care to accept their kind offers, they retired very
much displeased, and muttering something we could not
understand.

About midnight we were awakened by some extraor-
dinary noise in the village. On going to the outer porch
door I saw about 25 persons of both sexes, entirely naked,
going about the village singing and dancing. At times they
withdrew in couples, but soon rejoined their companions in

FRUIT OF THE FORBIDDEN TREE. 327

the dance and song. During this short separation from the
rest they appeared to be very closely engaged, and notwith-
standing the night was dark I could perceive them occupied
in enjoying each other with as little ceremony as if it had
been only the common calls of nature. This affair con-
tinued about two hours, during which they made the tour
of the village several times. What was the meaning of this
ceremony I could not learn ; but certainly there could be no
performance more lascivious than the one I witnessed.
The young men kept watch during the night, sitting on the
tops of the huts or walking round the village, singing amor-
ous songs to their particular favorites. This is done, I am
told, to prevent a surprise in case an enemy may be at
hand. Love is not made by entering the tent at night and
lying down near the woman, as it is among other nations I
have seen. The custom here is to barricade the doors of
the huts during the night and not admit the young men.
The latter therefore employ the night in addressing love
songs to their mistresses, who either come out of the huts
immediately, or wait till daybreak, when they repair to the
cornfields and are soon followed by the young men, who
enjoy their company and take every liberty. The young
men then return, and, if no hunting party offers, pass the
day on the tops of the huts, sleeping in the sun, or stroll-
ing from hut to hut, eating corn and smoking Missourie
tobacco. At other times they amuse themselves by run-
ning races either on foot or horseback, and performing war-
like manoeuvres ; they have also a favorite game which
occupies much of their time.

Sunday, July 20th. At daybreak we were all up, and I
took a walk down to the river, where I witnessed the cere-
mony of washing with as little reserve as before. Our host
on my return presented us with dried meat, and then a dish
of corn and beans ; but, as the latter is not cooked with any
kind of grease or fat, it has a very insipid taste. The corn
is generally bruised or pounded in a wooden mortar, which
is fixed firmly into the ground in one corner of the hut;

328 CULINARY UTENSILS OF THE MANDANS.

and this is the first work performed by the women in the
morning after having paid their devoirs to their lovers and
washed themselves in the Missourie. Their sweet corn and
beans are boiled whole. They use large earthen pots of
their own manufacture of a black clay which is plentiful
near their villages. They make them of different sizes,
from five gallons to one quart. In these vessels nothing of
a greasy nature is cooked, every family being provided with
a brass or copper kettle for the purpose of cooking flesh.
Whether this proceeds from superstition or not I cannot
pretend to say, but they assured us that any kind of flesh
cooked in those earthen pots would cause them to split.
One or more of the largest kind is constantly boiling pre-
pared corn and beans, and all who come in are welcome to
help themselves to as much as they can eat of the contents.
The bottoms of these pots are of a convex shape ; much
care is therefore required to keep them from upsetting.
For this purpose, when they are put to the fire a hole is
made in the ashes to keep them erect, and when taken away
they are placed upon a sort of coil made of bois blanc fibers.
These coils or rings are of different sizes, according to the
dimensions of the several pots. Some pots have two ears
or handles, and are more convenient than those with
none.

Early this morning our young hostler took our horses
to feed in the meadow, but never allowed them to be
for a moment out of his sight, lest the Assiniboines or
other enemies might steal them. We purchased sweet
corn, beans, meal, and various other trifles, for which
we paid in ammunition, beads, and tobacco. Having
bought all we required, which was three horse-loads,
we were plagued by the women and girls, who continued
to bring bags and dishes full of different kinds of prod-
uce, and insisted upon trading. It was some time before
we could persuade them that we had already purchased
more than we had horses to carry, They then offered to
sell us some common pack-horses, and also buffalo robes in

J. B. LAFRANCE — LEWIS AND CLARK. 329

great numbers ; but our trifling equipments would not
admit of such purchases.

About this time Jean Baptiste La France" made his
appearance. This man had left [Brandon House, on]
Riviere la Souris in May last, equipped by the H. B. Co.
with a small assortment for trading. He resides on the S.
side, at the great Mandane village, and hearing of our arrival,
came over to us. He informed Black Cat, our kind host,
who his guests were, and told him that our visit was from
mere curiosity. The chief instantly retired to his family
hut, and brought out his flag, which was soon flying over
the hut in which we were accommodated. This flag was
given to him in 1804-05 [i. e., Oct. 29th, 1804] by Captains
Lewis and Clark, who also gave him a silver medal ; the
same articles were also given to the principal chiefs of the
other villages, and several very useful utensils were left
among them. I saw the remains of an excellent large corn
mill [L. and C, p. 182], which the foolish fellows had de-
molished to barb their arrows ; the largest piece of it, which
they could not break or work up into any weapon, was fixed
to a wooden handle, and used to pound marrow-bones to
make grease.

As we desired to cross the river, we sent La France to
engage people of the opposite village ^° to come over for us.
It would have been in vain for us to attempt to prevail upon
anyone in this village to ferry us over ; for, as long as a
stranger has any property, they wish him to trade all he
brings in the first village he enters, every village being
ambitious of getting as many European articles as they can,

*^ See L. and C, pp. 203, 213, and esp. 1179, where I cite this passage from
the Henry MS. literally.

^ The Jirst of the two Mandan and of the whole five villages of L. and C,
on the S. side of the Missouri ; " the lower village of the Mandans, called
Matootonha," p. 182. This was about 4 m. below the mouth of Knife r., and
distant about 3 m. diagonally across the Missouri from the other Mandan village
of Rooptahee. It was the village of Shahaka, Gros Blanc, or Big White, a prin-
cipal chief, and of Kagohami or Little Raven. In this locality is now a place
called Deapolis.

330 VARIOUS ETHICAL PARTICULARS.

particularly arms and ammunition. This is good policy ;
for, notwithstanding they are so near each other, and live
in amity, they are not free from jealousy, and have often had
serious misunderstandings, sometimes ending in the death
of an individual, and nearly occasioning civil war. They
have also to guard against their natural enemies, the Sioux,
who are at no great distance. The Pawnees also, with
whom the Mandanes formerly lived in the same villages,
are now their most inveterate enemies. Arms and ammu-
nition are, therefore, necessary articles, and everyone has a
stock of ball and powder laid up in case of emergency.

We packed up our purchases, and gave them into the
care of the landlord. These people are much given to
thieving, but in the hut in which a stranger is lodged, his
property may be left in perfect security ; none dare touch
it, as the master conceives his honor concerned in whatever
is placed under his immediate protection. Out of doors, if
they can pick your pocket, or pilfer any article, it is gone
in an instant, and search would be in vain ; everyone would
wish to appear innocent, although they are not offended
when accused of stealing, but laugh the matter away. We
were informed that eight canoes were waiting for us on
the opposite side, and the same number of young men had
come over to assist in crossing our horses. We paid our
landlord for board and lodging, as well as for the care of
our horses, and of the articles left under his charge, as
we never expect the least favor from any of these fellows
without recompensing them accordingly. He appeared
very well pleased with the following articles, which we gave
him : 60 rounds of ammunition, 4 large knives, 2 awls, i
fathom of tobacco, i steel, 5 flints, i dozen hawk-bills, 2
worms [wormers for guns], and i dozen brass rings. On
going down to the water-side, we found the chief of the
great Mandane village, Le Gros Blanc." It was this man

" For this chief, otherwise Shahaka and Big White, see L. and C, pp.
xxxix, ciii, 182, 185, 192, 209, 236, 242, 247, 566, I184-5-6, 1191, I2I2 ; also,
my paper in Annals of Iowa, 3d sen, I., No. 8, Jan., 1895, pp. 613-20.

BULL-BOAT FERRY TO BIG WHITE'S VILLAGE. 33 1

who accompanied Lewis and Clark the ensuing autumn to
Washington. He was waiting with his own canoe to ferry-
over Mr. Chaboillez and me, and very attentive and poHte
in conveying our baggage on board. We saw another
American flag flying in the village on the S. side, whilst
that of the Black Cat was still displayed over the hut we
had occupied. Our conductor informed us that the flag we
saw in the opposite village was his property, and had been'
hoisted by his orders over his own hut, where he begged
we would take up our lodging.

The young men were very expert in getting our horses
over. They fastened a line to the horse's mouth, the end
of which one of them took in his teeth, and swam ahead,
whilst others swam on each side and in the rear, driving the
horse very expeditiously. Though the Missourie at this
place is half a mile wide, and the current very strong, they
drifted down but little before landing. Their canoes [z. <?.,
** bull-boats "] are of singular construction; a stranger
would scarcely dare to cross such a deep and rapid stream
in them. They are of circular form ; the timbers are only
a few bent willows, about three inches in circumference,
over which is stretched a raw buffalo hide with the hair
inside, sewed fast to the gunnel ; this is generally of willow,
about two inches in diameter. I was surprised to see the
great weight these tender vessels carried. We embarked
baggage, saddles, etc., weighing at least 200 pounds, with
Mr. Chaboillez, myself, and our ferryman, who was a stout,
lusty fellow, and our canoe or dish could have supported at
least TOO pounds more. In lieu of a paddle they use a pole
about five feet long, split at one end, to admit a piece of
board about two feet long and half a foot broad, which is
lashed to the pole and forms a kind of cross ; there is but
one for each canoe. He who paddles makes directly for
the opposite shore ; every stroke he gives turns his dish
almost entirely round ; to recover his position and go on
his intended route, he must give a stroke on the other
hand, which brings him up again, and so on until he gets

332 RECEPTION BY BIG MAN AND HAIRY HORN.

over, not without drifting down sometimes nearly a mile.
Some, I observed, were more expert than others in manag-
ing their dishes, and did not drift more than a quarter of a
mile. As their vessels are very light, they take the pre-
caution to carry them on their heads, or slung on their
backs, to a considerable distance higher up the river than
where they intend to land. Whilst we were on the water
our conductor repeatedly made signs to us to salute the flag
by firing our guns ; but we did not think proper to comply
with his wishes, and pretended we did not comprehend him.
We soon landed opposite the village, which is situated
on the very edge of the S. bank. Here we were received
by another chief, called Le Grand," who insisted upon our
taking lodgings in his hut. We accordingly entered it, but
were soon visited by several other principal men, who
requested some of us to abide in their huts. La France
advised us to do so, telling us we would be more at our
ease than if we all remained in the same hut, and that in
every respect we should fare better. Accordingly, Mr.
Chaboillez and his people, who consisted of the Saulteur
lad (Mr. C.'s brother-in-law), and Mr. Allen McDonnell
[McDonald], took up their lodgings with Hairy Horn ;
while our guide, MacReacan," Straight Horn, myself,
and my people, V. and D., remained with Le Grand, who
appeared to be a very civil fellow. This arrangement hav-
ing been made, we were soon provided with beds, and buf-
falo hides to sit upon. My host was so obliging as to give
up to me one of his own best beds, well surrounded with
dressed leather. We had a plentiful supply of corn and
beans, and were soon invited to several huts, where we

'2 " Ohheenaw or Big Man, a Chayenne taken prisoner by the Mandans, who
adopted him ; he now enjoys first consideration among the tribe," L. and C, p.
182; otherwise Oheenaw and Ohhaw : see also pp. 184, 185, 205, 236, 241.

*^ Sic — meaning Hugh McCracken, who has been already noted in this
chapter, p. 301: see also L. and C, p. 1184, where the present passage is
quoted verbatim, and pp. 178, 187, where Lewis and Clark speak of this man,
whom they call Mr. M'Cracken and Hugh M'Crachen. "V. and D." are
Vaudry and Ducharme ; compare the party of seven named on p. 304.

RENE JUSSOMME — PAWNEE EMBASSY. 333

■yvere treated with a very palatable dish of pounded peas
and parched corn ; but it is customary for invited guests,
on leaving, to present the master of the hut with a few
inches of tobacco, for which he always appears very thank-
ful. We paid a visit to Gros Blanc, whom we had slighted
in not taking up our residence in his hut, and who kept the
flag flying in honor of our arrival until sunset. However,
we made him ample amends, and presented him with some
tobacco, ammunition, etc., as a remuneration for assisting
us over. He appeared highly pleased with the presents,
but said he would have been very happy to have accommo-
dated at least some of our party.

We found in this village a Canadian named [Ren6] Jus-
saume,"' who accompanied Captains Clark and Lewis the
ensuing autumn to Washington on their return from their
voyage to the Pacific Ocean, as interpreter for the Mandane
chief, Gros Blanc. This man has resided among the In-
dians for upward of 15 years, speaks their language toler-
ably well, and has a wife and family who dress and live like
the natives. He retains the outward appearance of a Chris-
tian, but his principles, as far as I could observe, are much
worse than those of a Mandane ; he is possessed of every
superstition natural to those people, nor is he different in
every mean, dirty trick they have acquired from intercourse
with the set of scoundrels who visit these parts — some to
trade and others to screen themselves from justice, as the
laws of their own country would not fail to punish them for
their numerous offenses.

Soon after our arrival a great uproar was occasioned by
the unexpected visit of six Pawnees from their own village,
about 60 leagues below on the same river. They had been
sent on an embassy to treat for peace. It appears that last
spring some of these people accompanied a war party of
Sioux " who came here and killed five Mandanes ; the

" Of whom much is said in L. and C, as on pp. 180, 181, iSg, 232, 1178,
1184, which see.

"Compare the Sioux raid noted by L. and C, Nov. 30th, 1805, at p. 204.

334 A PAGE OF LOCAL HISTORY.

latter, in company with the Big Bellies, soon returned the
visit ; and not finding the Sioux, on their return killed two
Pawnees. But as this did not satisfy them, they informed
the Pawnees that they might expect a more formal visit the
ensuing fall ; that both Mandanes and Big Bellies were de-
termined to exterminate every Pawnee they could find, and
lay their villages even with the ground. To avoid this
storm, the latter had thought prudent to thus sue for
peace before it was too late.

A messenger was instantly dispatched to the upper vil-
lages to give information of the Pawnees' arrival. In the
meantime the strangers were hospitably entertained, con-
ducted into a hut, and presented with corn, beans, and
dried meat. All were then silent for some time, awaiting
the determination of the Big Bellies.

Not many years ago the Pawnees^* and Mandanes were
allied to each other and lived together in the same villages,
on the Missourie, about 30 leagues below this place. A mis-
understanding happening, they separated ; the Pawnees
retired down the river and built their village where it now
stands, and the Mandanes proceeded with an intention of
settling themselves somewhere about the confluence of the
Little Missourie, or on the upper part of Riviere la Souris.
But on their arrival at this place the Big Bellies barred the
road and put a stop to their westward progress, telling them
that they would not permit anyone to build higher up the
river than themselves, and desiring the Mandanes to build
where they are at present. The latter were not much
inclined to comply with those proposals ; but, dreading the
displeasure of the others, who were more numerous then
than they are at present, — composing then a village of 900
huts, — were obliged to accept the terms. Since that period
the Pawnees and Mandanes have frequently been at war,
and as often made peace again. The former are a station-
ary people, like the Mandanes, and cultivate the ground in

*^ In regard to this relation of the Pawnees, see L. and C, pp. 54, 55. 56>
57, 98. 144.

GESTURE SPEECH — DIPLOMATIC ULTIMATUM. 335

the same manner ; they are represented as treacherous and
deceitful, taking every advantage of their neighbors, favor-
ing the Sioux when they come to war this way, and fre-
quently mixing with them to annoy the Mandanes and Big
Bellies, as was the case last spring, when they were supposed
to be at peace. Their language is entirely different from
that of the natives of this place, and it is mainly by signs
that they communicate with each other, though there are a
few of each who understand the other's language. Sign-
language serves as interpreter in every affair of importance.
It is surprising how dexterous all these natives of the plains
are in communicating their ideas by signs. They hold con-
ferences for several hours, upon different subjects, during
the whole of which time not a single word is pronounced
upon either side, and still they appear to comprehend each
other perfectly well. This mode of communication is nat-
ural to them ; their gestures are made with the greatest
ease, and they never seem to be at a loss for a sign to
express their meaning.

About 30 Big Bellies soon arrived on horseback, at full
speed ; they brought an interpreter with them. This party
consisted of some of the principal war chiefs, and other
great men, who did not appear well pleased, but looked on
the Pawnees with disdain. After some private consultation
they desired the Pawnees to return immediately to their
own villages and to inform their great war chief. Red Tail,
that if he sincerely wished for peace he must come in per-
son, and then they would settle matters, as they were deter-
mined to have nothing to do with a private party of young
men. They had been so repeatedly deceived by different
messages that for the future they would be more upon their
guard against such treacherous neighbors. They allowed
the Pawnees two moons to consider the business and per-
form the journey ; if then their chief did not make his
appearance, they would immediately gather their corn, go in
a body to find him out in his own village, and convince him
what Big Bellies— or, as they call themselves. Willow In-

336 RETURN OF MANDAN HUNTERS.

dians — and Mandanes could do when exasperated by Pawnee
treachery. The six emissaries promised to depart early
next morning to inform their chief accordingly, who, they
made no doubt, would soon v/ait upon the Big Bellies ; for
the messengers were convinced of his desire for peace.

Thus ended an affair which at first we had supposed would
conclude with the death of the strangers, judging by the
great bustle and noise their arrival occasioned. But I was
afterward informed that there was not the least danger of
such proceedings ; that the natives of this place make it a
particular point of honor to protect every stranger who
throws himself upon their clemency. Even their natural
and most inveterate enemies, the Sioux, have come into
their villages unexpectedly upon embassies concerning
peace, and been always hospitably entertained, though
never permitted to stay more than one night.

Toward evening there was a whooping and howling among
the young men, who were standing upon their huts. This
was to announce a hunting party of Mandanes, who at
that moment appeared on the high banks to the S., descend-
ing by a well-beaten road to the village. The party con-
sisted of 100 mounted men, each loaded with about half a
buffalo ; but some had more than others, according to the
strength of the horse, which the owner always rides, how-
ever heavily his beast be loaded. They went away yes-
terday, and found buffalo in great abundance near at hand.
These people always hunt in large parties, as the continual
danger from their numerous enemies obliges them to be
very cautious in leaving the villages. Another reason is,
that they are anxious to prevent the buffalo from being
driven away. For this purpose it is customary for them
all in a body to surround one herd only, which sometimes
consists of several hundreds. Not one of the whole herd
do they allow to escape ; large and small, fat and lean,
all must fall, to prevent alarming other herds. This man-
ner of hunting answers another good purpose, which is
that bad and dull horsemen get equal share with the best

VENATORIAL COMMUNISM. 337

racers. They never use firearms for buffalo ; the bow and
arrow is the only weapon for that purpose. When a hunt-
ing excursion is agitated among the Mandanes, they inform
their neighbors on the N. shore and the Saulteurs [Sou-
Hers] ; but the Big BeUies have their own parties, and
seldom interfere with the others; the one goes to the S-
E. and the other to the S. W. Knife river seems to be
their boundary line. On the day fixed for their departure,
early in the morning, those who are inclined to join the
party assemble on the rising ground in the rear of the
village, about lyi mile S. When all are ready they pro-
ceed in one body to find buffalo, and seldom, if ever,
return light. On their arrival the horses are instantly
unloaded and the meat is taken into their huts, where it
is spread out upon the ground and exposed for some time
before the master or mistress of the hut makes use of
it. Soon afterward the women whose husbands or sons
have not been hunting enter the huts of those who have
secured meat ; the mistress gives them a share, and they
walk away with it. It often happens that so many of her
acquaintances and friends thus drop in that not a mouthful
remains for her own family. When this is the case, she in
turn goes to the huts of friends who have been hunting,
and comes away with a load. It is customary for them to
go into as many huts as they think proper, and bring
away more or less, according to the degree of intimacy
that exists between the families, particularly among the
women; for they are not without their little jealousies,
domestic broils, and tales of scandal, like those of civilized
nations. It is also customary for the old men and old
women who have no sons nor any particular friends to
assist them, on the first news of the hunters' approach, to
crawl a mile or more out of the villages and sit by the
wayside, where almost every hunter in passing drops them
a piece of meat. By these means every individual gets a
share of what has been killed.

These villages at a distance appear like a cluster of mole-

338 MANDAN ARCHITECTURE.

hills or muskrat cabins. The nearly circular huts are
placed very irregularly ; some so close to each other as
scarcely to leave a foot-passage, others again at a distance
of 20 to 30 feet apart. But about the center of each vil-
lage is an open space of about four acres, around which
the huts are regularly built at equal distances, fronting the
open space. This circle is of about 30 huts, which I have
no doubt were the first erected on the spot. Friends, who
joined them afterward for various causes, erected their huts
in the rear, wherever they found it most convenient. This
continues to be the case ; huts are continually demolished
in one village and others built to replace them in another.
This often proceeds from misunderstandings the people
have either with the chiefs of the village, or with their
own neighbors ; when, finding the situation unpleasant and
likely to lead to quarrels, they shift their quarters ; but they
always take up their new residence among their own tribe.
The Mandanes and Saulteurs [Souliers] are a stationary
people, who never leave their villages except to go hunting
or on a war excursion. They are much more agricultural
than their neighbors, the Big Belhes, raising an immense
quantity of corn, beans, squashes, tobacco, and sunflowers.
A Mandane's circular hut is spacious. I measured the one
I lodged in, and found it 90 feet from the door to the
opposite side. The Avhole space is first dug out about 1%
feet below the surface of the earth. In the center is the
square fireplace, about five feet on each side, dug out about
two feet below the surface of the ground flat. The lower
part of the hut is constructed by erecting strong posts about
six feet out of the ground, at equal distances from each
other, according to the proposed size of the hut, as they
are not all of the same dimensions. Upon these are laid
logs as large as the posts, reaching from post to post
to form the circle. On the outer side are placed pieces
of split wood seven feet long, in a slanting direction, one
end resting on the ground, the other leaning against the
cross-logs or beams. Upon these beams rest rafters about

MANDAN ARCHITECTURE. 339

the thickness of a man's leg, and 12 to 15 feet long, slant-
ing enough to drain off the rain, and laid so close to each
other as to touch. The upper ends of the rafters are sup-
ported upon stout pieces of squared timber, which last are
supported by four thick posts about five feet in circumfer-
ence, 15 feet out of the ground and 15 feet asunder, form-
ing a square. Over these squared timbers others of equal
size are laid, crossing them at right angles, leaving an open-
ing about four feet square. This serves for chimney and
windows, as there are no other openings to admit light,
and when it rains even this hole is covered over with a
canoe to prevent the rain from injuring their gammine {sic']
and earthen pots. The whole roof is well thatched with the
small willows in which the Missourie abounds, laid on to
the thickness of six inches or more, fastened together in a
very compact manner and well secured to the rafters. Over
the whole is spread about one foot of earth, and around the
wall, to the height of three or four feet, is commonly laid
up earth to the thickness of three feet, for security in case
of an attack and to keep out the cold. The door is five feet
broad and six high, with a covered way or porch on the
outside of the same height as the door, seven feet broad
and ten in length. The doors are made of raw buffalo hide
stretched upon a frame and suspended by cords from one of
the beams which form the circle. Every night the door is
barricaded with a long piece of timber supported by two
stout posts set in the ground in the inside of the hut, one
on each side of the door.

On entering the hut, the first thing that strikes the view
is a kind of triangular apartment, always on the left hand
and fronting the fire, leaving an open space on the right ;
this is to hold firewood in winter. This partition is con-
structed of square planks about 12 feet high, well calked
to keep off the air from the door. Between this partition
and the fire is commonly a distance of about five feet, which
the master of the hut occupies during the day, seated on a
mat made of small willows of equal size, fastened together

340 MANDAN LARES AND PENATES.

by threads of their own manufacture, passed through each
stick about a foot apart. These mats are about ten feet
long and four broad ; the two ends for about 2>^ feet are
raised slanting from the ground, supported by a kind of
sofa. Over the mat is spread a kind of buffalo skin. Some
of these couches are raised a foot off the ground.

Upon this a Mandane sits all day, receives his friends,
smokes, and chats the time away with the greatest dignity ;
he sometimes passes the night there also, when not inclined
to lie with any of his wives. On the left side of the host
begins their range of beds. The master and his favorite
wife always occupy the first bed, and his other wives each a
separate one in succession ; next to them come the young
people. All are constructed in the same manner, and
adjoin each other lengthways. At the bottom of the hut,
fronting the master's seat, stands his medicine-stage, which
may be called his chief treasure, as it contains everything
he values most. The article of most consequence is a pair
of bull's heads, which seem to be a great Manitou and
protection ; they are well daubed over with earth, and par-
ticular care is taken of them. There are also laid, or rather
hung up, his arms, shield, ammunition, scalps, and every-
thing else he most values. Next this stage stand the
mortar and pestle, fixed firmly in the ground. The rest of
the hut, from this place to the door,.is vacant during the
the day, but occupied at night by the horses. There still
remains a large clear space in the center, round about the
fire, for the use of the family ; this is generally swept once a
day. Seldom more than one family occupies the same hut.
Fronting the porch stands a stage about eight feet high,
20 feet long and 10 feet broad, for the purpose of hanging
up corn to dry in the fall, and to dry meat. These stages
have a tolerably good flooring, which in the fall is covered
with beans to dry ; and posts are erected upon them, on the
tops of which are laid poles or rafters, to which corn and
sliced squashes are suspended in tresses to dry. When the
harvest is over this certainly must have a very pretty effect,

THOSE " WELSH " INDIANS : SEE L. AND C, P. I $9- 341

and give quite an appearance of agriculture ; but at this
season they are lumbered up with driftwood, for fuel, thus
giving a very ugly appearance to the village.

This fuel they collect in the spring, when the ice breaks
up, and when great quantities of wood drift down. The
natives being expert swimmers and very active in managing
the large trees, scarcely one escapes them until they have a
sufificient stock for the year ; although the drifting of the
ice at the same time would make such attempts appear
impracticable to most people. I observed opposite each
village an immense pile of this wood, including some trees
of amazing size. When they collect the drift-wood, great
numbers of drowned buffalo, that have perished in attempt-
ing to cross above when the ice was getting bad, float down ;
those animals the natives are very careful to haul on shore,
as they prefer such flesh to that killed in any other way.

What struck me as extraordinary among these people
was several children about ten years of age, whose hair was
perfectly gray, and who thus resembled aged persons ; those
I saw were all girls. These people in general have not
such strong coarse hair as other natives of North America ;
they have it much finer, rather inclining to a dark brown,
and I observed some whose hair was almost fair. I saw
one Big Belly with yellow hair ; which I believe could
scarcely proceed from any connection with the whites from
our quarter, as it is not more than 30 years since they first
saw any of us, and this man was at least 40 years old." Their
eyes are not of that jet black which is common to other
Indians, but, like their hair, inclined to a dark brown ; some
few are dark gray. They are in general tall, stout, well-
built men. The men wear their hair long, twisted into
small quaittes,"* hanging down to the rump ; some of them

" Henry may be correct in thus stating the time when the Indians first
knew British traders ; but they had been acquainted with the French from the
date of Verendrye's visit, in December, 1738, about 68 years before 1806.

** The meaning of queues, tresses, or strands is clear, but I am not sure of
the word ; perhaps it should be quoifes (for coifs or coiffures).

342 TARIFF OF SEXUAL AND OTHER SERVICE.

have it of enormous length, trailing upon the ground ; they
seldom tie it, but allow the numerous small quaittes to flow
in a more graceful manner upon their backs ; they always
daub it with white and red earth. The women wear their
hair short, allowing it to grow no longer than to cover the
ears and neck. They never tie it, nor make use of any
ornament for the head, except sometimes daubing it with
red earth. They seem to be a very lascivious set of peo-
ple. The men make no scruple in offering their wives to
strangers without solicitation, and are offended if their
favors are not accepted, unless convinced that there is some
good reason for your refusal, and that it is not out of con-
tempt. They expect payment for their complaisance, but
a mere trifle will satisfy them — even one single coat button.
Notwithstanding this courteous behavior to strangers, they
are not entirely free from jealousies among themselves,
which sometimes cause quarrels and even bloodshed. The
woman is generally sacrificed in an affair of this nature.

We paid the young men for taking our horses across the
river, and the women for assisting us with the canoes.
The total cost was : i fathom of tobacco, 4 knives, 6 flints,
6 awls, 6 worms, and 10 balls. I also paid my landlord for
the time we might remain here, which I supposed would be
about ten days for three persons, including board and
lodging, stabling for our horses, and care of our property.
They make no price, leaving that to the generosity of
guests, and should the payment be too little they still
appear to accept it with gratitude ; but the visitor is after-
ward left to take care of his own property and horses in
the best manner he can. It is impossible to get the most
trifling service from the natives without immediate pay-
ment ; not even an inch of cord will they part with with-
out receiving something in return. It is true a trifle will
please them, and they are willing and ready to serve you as
long as you have any property. But when all is expended
you may shift for yourself, as they will pretend they do
not understand you any longer. Besides paying our host

ROASTING — COUGHING — HOEING. 343

beforehand, I promised him a tobacco-pipe on my depar-
ture, if I were then pleased with his conduct during our
stay. His pay consisted of the following articles: 60 balls
and powder, 4 large knives, 2 small knives, i fathom
tobacco, I dozen rings, i dozen hawk-bills, 6 flints, 3
worms, 3 awls, and }( pound blue beads.

They have a peculiar way of roasting meat. A placotte
is suspended by a cord from the roof of the hut exactly
over the fire ; the cord being passed through, and fastened
to the center of the piece, keeps it in a flat position directly
over the flames ; a person is seated near it, and with a small
stick keeps it continually in motion by pushing it to and
fro ; when one side is done it is turned over and fit for use.
This method is much more expeditious than roasting flesh
before the fire, and by far preferable, as it retains all the
natural juice and flavor.

The natives at present are mostly affected with a bad
cough, which daily takes some of them off. Aged and
infirm persons, and young children, are the common victims
to this disease. It is a kind of whooping-cough, which has
appeared all along the Red and Assiniboine rivers, on the
Saskatchewan even to Fort des Prairies, and in several
other parts of the North West, carrying off many people.

July 2ist. I set off early on horseback with part of
my people for the upper villages. We passed extensive
fields of corn, beans, squashes, and sunflowers. Many
women and children were already employed in clearing
and hoeing their plantations. Their hoes are the shoulder-
blade of a buffalo, to which is fastened a crooked stick
for a handle ; the soil not being stony, this slight imple-
ment answers every purpose. The road first led over
two hills, after which we came to a smooth and pleasant
plain for about two miles to the Saulteur [Soulier] village,
of about 40 huts.

These people are an entirely different tribe from the Big
Bellies and Mandanes ; their language resembles that of
the latter more than that of the former, but is not the

344 SOULIERS — LITTLE BIG BELLIES.

same. Their long intercourse with those people has tended
to this similarity of language, and from proximity they have
acquired the manners and customs of the other nations,
though they continue to live by themselves. They have the
reputation of a brave and warUke people. They formerly
sustained a three-years' war with the Big Bellies, notwith-
standing the latter were then ten times their number. They
held out wath the greatest resolution and disdained to sub-
mit till the others, finding it impossible to reduce them,
unless by extermination, proposed to make peace. Since
then they have lived in amity. They are stationary, like
their neighbors, the Mandanes, with whom they have
always been at peace, and have acquired more of their cus-
toms and manners than those of the Big Bellies, who con-
tinue to view them with an envious eye.

We stopped here only a short time ; and having been
invited into several huts, and treated with what they had to
offer, in return for which we gave them a pipe of tobacco,
we proceeded on a delightful hard, dry road. The soil
being a mixture of sand and clay, and rain being infre-
quent, the heat of the sun makes the road as hard as pave-
ment. Upon each side were pleasant cultivated spots,
some of which stretched up the rising ground on our left,
whilst on our right they ran nearly to the Missouri. In
those fields were many women and children at work, who
all appeared industrious. Upon the road were passing and
repassing every moment natives, afoot and on horseback,
curious to examine and stare at us. Many horses were
feeding in every direction beyond the plantation. The
whole view was agreeable, and had more the appearance of
a country inhabited by a civilized nation than by a set of
savages.

We came to the little village of Big Bellies or Willow
Indians, situated nearly at the mouth of Knife river, which
comes from the S. and enters into the Missourie, about
one mile from the Saulteur [Soulier] village. Here we
found a sudden and great change in the manners of the

GREAT BIG BELLIES ON KNIFE RIVER. 345

people ; the children and even the youths collected and
followed us in crowds, laughing and making sport of us, to
the great entertainment of the men, who were seated upon
their huts enjoying the cool morning air, and by their sig-
nificant smiles seemed to applaud such proceedings. The
dogs also assailed us from every quarter, and were very
troublesome. We, therefore, made no stop at this village,
which consists of about 60 huts, but pushed through the
crowd to the west end, where the road leads along the bank
of Knife river, here about 50 yards wide, with a gentle cur-
rent. The water is thick and muddy, and of a reddish
color, that of the Missourie being much lighter or paler.
Here the road is again very pleasant, running through an
open level country, with corn-fields in sight, in which were
numbers of people at work ; beyond them we saw several
hundred horses, feeding upon the hills and along the banks
of Knife river. We came about one mile from the last
village, crossed Knife river, having the water up to our
saddles, with a fine sandy bottom ; and 300 yards further
entered the great village of the Big Bellies, which consists
of about 130 huts.

Here we found Messrs. Charles McKenzie "' and James

" See L. and C, ed. 1893, pp. 203, 226, 232, 1177. Charles McKenzie is
readily distinguished from the many of that surname in the fur trade. He
entered the N. W. Co. as apprenticed clerk in 1803, and became clerk in 1604
on Upper Red r., where he was traveling with Harmon in October of that
year. His first visit to the Mandans was in 1804, when he made one of the
party under F. A. Larocque (the others being William Morrison, J. B.
Turenne, Alexis McKay, and Joseph Azure) ; he left there April 2d, 1805, and
reached Fort Assiniboine May 22d. Again he made the same trip with Mr.
Larocque, Mr. Lafrance, and two voyageurs, leaving Fort Assiniboine June
3d, and leaving the Mandans on his return with Lafrance Aug. 15th. He went
a third time in February, 1806, and returned to Fort Assiniboine in 23 days.
His fourth visit began June 4th, 1806, when he left Fort Assiniboine with Mr.
Caldwell and a freeman. See his The Missouri Indians. A Narrative of Four
Trading Expeditions to the Mississouri, 1804-1805-1806, in Masson, I. 1889,
PP- 315-93 — a specially valuable article. The N. W. Co. abandoned the
Missouri trade in 1807, and Mr. McKenzie was stationed for some years about
Lac la Pluie, the Nepigon, etc. He joined the H. B. Co. on the fusion of
1821, and continued in that service till about 1846. Though he never liked it.

346 C. M'KENZIE — C. CHABOILLEZ, JR. — LE BORGNE.

Caldwell, who had left Riviere la Souris with a small
assortment of goods in May last [June 4th, 1806] ; both
young men in the service of the N. W. Co. The natives
conducted us to the hut in which they resided, which
was that of the great chief of the village, Le Borgne ; *° he

and found much amiss, he accepted the situation philosophically, and indulged
his taste for study. On retirement he settled on Red r., and died in March,
1854, leaving three daughters, dead since 1889 or earlier, and a son, Hector,
who was living near Winnipeg in 1889. His Mandan journal has much merit,
and is more readable than such things generally are ; it bears with special
interest on Lewis and Clark, from the British point of view, and has a good
deal to say of our present author, whom Mr. McKenzie accompanied on the
trip to which our next chapter is devoted. He describes the present meeting
with Henry in these terms : "I heard my name called at the door of the lodge
by a voice which was familiar, and enquiring if I was within. I hastened to
the door, dressed as I was in the Indian costume, and was much surprised
at seeing Mr, Charles Chaboillez, [Jr.] Mr. Alexander Henry, and Mr. Allen
Macdonel [sic], accompanied by three men. Their first salutation was a
reproach at my dress. . . Messrs. Chaboillez and Henry were much disap-
pointed ; they had promised themselves a pleasant voyage, they had a long
disagreeable one. . . Their appearance was not to their credit, nor to the
interest of the company. It was most galling to me, who understood some
of the Indian language, to hear them despised and the American captains,
whom they [Indians] hated till then, praised. They had come to purchase
horses, but found none to their taste. . . Mr. Henry avowed his disappoint-
ment and did not disguise his detestation of the Indians ; he was displeased
with himself, dissatisfied with his ' equal ' [Chaboillez] and disgusted with his
inferiors. . . Mr. Henry kept at a distance from the crowd and smoked his
pipe alone." This snap-shot of the McKenzie kodak — so to speak — accounts
for the vein of ill humor and bad taste running through the Henry narrative at
present.

Mr. McKenzie's name of the Missouri was not an uncommon one in those
days, and is perhaps defensible as being nearer the aboriginal term ; Sir A.
McKenzie, Thompson, and others use similar forms. The word seems to have
been the name of certain Indians before it was applied to the river : for the
meaning, see L.and C, p. 22, note *^. Some other forms of the tribal term are
Missouria, Missourite, and Oumissourite. This last is found on Marquette's
autograph map of 1673 as 8emess8rit ; but it is curious to note that exactly our
present form Missouri, for the river, appears as early as 1687 in Joutel's Nar-
rative : see Margry's Decouvertes, III. p. 432, 1879. A modern Sioux name
is given as Minishoshay or Meneshosha ; a Sac name is Pekitanoui.

C. McKenzie's name for the Cheyennes is more unusual — Shawyens.

*" For this celebrat-^d character, see L. and C, ed. 1893, pp. 242 and following,
also 1177, .1179, 1183, 1186, 1192. " To give the devil his due " — as someone

THE BIG BELLIES CHARACTERIZED. 347

was then on a visit to a camp of Schians, settling the pre-
liminaries of peace with that nation, who are tented about
two days' journey S. E. from here. We were not so well
received at this village as at the Mandanes ; no attention
was shown us, after conducting us to the hut where the
white people lodged. They do not appear to be of such
sociable and affable disposition as their neighbors ; they
are proud and haughty, and think there is no race upon
earth equal to themselves ; they despise other nations.
Were it not that they must have traders to bring them the
arms and ammunition of which they stand in such great
need, being surrounded by enemies, a white man would
stand a poor chance for his life and property among this
set of savages, whose sole glory is in bloodshed and devas-
tation. But they are obliged to be civil, and this policy is
inculcated in the daily harangues made by the old princi-
pals and chiefs. All have manly and warlike countenances,
and are remarkably stout, well-proportioned men, with a
similarity of physiognomy among themselves not to be
found in the other tribes of these quarters. The common-
est feature is a large aquiline nose. Their dress is nearly
the same as the Mandanes', excepting that the men wear
their hair somewhat differently. It is generally of great
length, sometimes even trailing on the ground. They
divide it, and plat from 10 to 25 tresses about one inch
broad ; on those quaittes they stick pieces of gum three or
four inches square and an inch apart, which every morning,
after washing and freshening, they carefully daub with red
or white clay, always painting the patches of gum one
color, and the intervening spaces another. This decoration
at a distance has nearly the same effect as a Saulteur head
covered with silver brooches. Their hair is of the same
bright hue as that of their neighbors.

Upon the whole they appeared to me to be a fierce and
savage set of scoundrels, still more loose and licentious than

is reported to have said in characterizing John Calvin — Le Borgne was a
great man.

348 HYPERTROPHIED LABIA MINORA.

the Mandanes ; the men appeared to take pride in display-
ing their nudities. I am also informed that they are much
given to unnatural lusts and often prefer a young man to a
woman. They have many berdashes amongst them, who
make it their business to satisfy such beastly passions.
The men are always ready to supply a stranger with a bed-
fellow, if he has any property. They are very complaisant
in giving him the choice of their women, and proud when
they can accommodate him with one who is provided with
a good swinging pair of contrevents, or well labiated. I am
not competent to determine whether this extraordinary
appendage be natural or otherwise. I am informed that it
is produced by the filthy custom of the men pulling upon it
daily while the girls are still young, and continuing to do
so when they are grown to maturity, until it attains the
length of several inches on each side of the orifice. Some
say that such females suspend weights to the parts for
that purpose, and others again say it is natural to some
of the women. That some of the women have such
ornaments, or whatever we may choose to call them, I
can afifirm from ocular demonstration. These people, Hke
their neighbors, have the custom of washing morning and
evening, and then wallowing in mud or clay, which
answers the purpose of soap.

Formerly this village consisted of 900 huts, but the
smallpox and other diseases have reduced them to their
present number. They have been settled upon this spot
time out of mind. They are not so fond of cultivating the
ground as their neighbors ; although they raise an immense
quantity of corn, etc., it falls far short of what is gathered
by the Mandanes. They differ from the last in many
points, and appear to be of a more roving and restless dis-
position. The Big Bellies' huts are constructed in the
same t^^anner as those of their neighbors, excepting that
the ground is dug out about four feet below the surface,
which makes them deeper than the others. They do not
stable the horses in the hut with themselves, but put them

FURTHER ACCOUNT OF THE BIG BELLIES. 349

at night in small inclosures under the stages fronting their
huts. Their canoes are of a different shape, having one
end square and the other round ; but of the same material
and construction, and used in the same manner, the ferry-
man sitting in the round end ; but they seldom have occa-
sion to cross the river, w^hich is about a mile distant from
their village. They reside here only during the summer.
Early in the fall, when cold weather begins, they decamp
in a body for the Snake's Lodge, where they take up their
residence for the winter in huts of the same construction
as those already mentioned. There they do not remain
inactive ; all, excepting the old people, decamp in parties
of 30 to 40 tents on long excursions to the W. and S. W.,
sometimes for two or three months, during which time
they hunt wolves, foxes, kitts, and buffaloes. They are
well provided for these excursions, every family having a
leather tent, many horses, and a vast number of stout,
strong dogs. Several families have from 20 to 30 horses.
This custom of abandoning their summer habitation is
less a matter of choice than of necessity ; for this village
has been so long settled that firewood is only to be got
from a great distance, and their only resource for a sum-
mer's stock is the driftwood on the Missourie, which they
collect in the same manner as the Mandanes do. But as
they are more numerous the consumption is greater, and
transportation from the river to the village is too tedious a
piece of business for the winter. Knife river supplies them
with water, which they carry into the villages in buffalo
paunches. Their other utensils and implements are the
same as those of their neighbors, and they are likewise pro-
vided with European kettles to cook meat, besides their
own earthen pots to boil corn and vegetables. Early in
the spring they return to sow their fields, while the men
are employed getting driftwood and drowned buffalo.

In 1804-05, when Captains Lewis and Clark wintered near
this place, they presented the people with silver medals and
flags, the same as they gave to the Mandanes ; but the Big

350 LEWIS AND CLARK UNDER FIRE. >

Bellies pretended to say that these ornaments conveyed
bad medicine to them and their children. They are ex-
ceedingly superstitious, and, therefore, supposed they could
not better dispose of those articles than by giving them to
the natives with whom they frequently warred, in hope the
ill-luck would be conveyed to them. They were disgusted
at the high-sounding language the American captains
bestowed upon themselves and their own nation, wishing
to impress the Indians with an idea that they were great
warriors, and a powerful people who, if exasperated, could
crush all the nations of the earth, etc. This manner of pro-
ceeding did not agree with these haughty savages, who
have too high an opinion of themselves to entertain the
least idea of acknowledging any race to be their superiors.
If the United States ever attempt to reduce the Big Bellies
by force, they will meet with more resistance than they
may be now aware of." The Mandanes are more tracta-
ble, and appear well inclined toward the United States.

We found it dangerous whilst in this village to stir out of
the hut without a good stout cudgel to keep off the dogs ;
they were so numerous and savage as sometimes to defy
the brandishing of our clubs, so that we were actually
obliged to engage with them. Another disagreeable cir-
cumstance is the crowd of children of both sexes, who fol-
low us. They make very free, and are very impertinent,
insist upon examining our clothes, buttons, watch, chain —
indeed, everything that strikes their fancy ; and if a good
lookout is not kept, they pick our pockets. Therefore, it is
necessary for a person to be constantly upon his guard
against the equally troublesome children and dogs. Every
young man of 20 years joins the crowd to pester us during
our walk, and never gives over the pursuit until we enter a
hut. At the Mandanes' we were not incommoded in this
manner ; they have no dogs to annoy strangers, and the
children are not so impertinent. They have not the same
occasion for dogs as the Big Bellies, being a stationary

*' This paragraph I cite verbatim in L. and C, p. 1191.

BIG BELLIED COSMOGONY. 35 I

people, whose longest excursions are only for a few days to
hunt buffalo, for which purpose, and to convey home the
meat, they always use horses.

Another dirty custom I observed in all their villages is
that of easing the calls of nature near the door of the hut;
it requires the greatest precaution, both day and night, to
avoid these numerous dung-hills. The inside of the hut is
commonly kept clean. Day and night the young men
watch and sleep upon the roofs, which are level and
spacious, being about 50 feet in circumference, and so well
supported by the four stout posts on which the squared
timbers rest, as to sustain the weight of 50 men at once.
Any trifling occurrence will assemble them, as when any-
body arrives, or something else excites their curiosity.

The Big Bellies, as far as I could learn, have an extraor-
dinary notion of creation. They say that at first the world
was entirely water, inhabited by no living creature but a
swan, which in some unaccountable way produced a crow,
a wolf, and a water hen. One day the crow dressed herself
out very fine, having daubed herself with red and white
earth, particularly her face, which was painted in equal pro-
portions of those two colors. Having thus made her person
the more agreeable, she visited the wolf, and reminded him
of their forlorn and pitiful situation, surrounded as they
were by water ; adding how much happier they would
be had they but a certain proportion of earth, to obtain
which she proposed to send the water hen to the bottom to
fetch some up. This was accordingly done, and after some
time, the water hen returned with a small quantity in her
bill. The crow then took the earth in her hands, and
directed the wolf to take a chiecheckquoi or rattle, and
sing a certain song. While he was performing, with a
melodious voice and graceful manner of beating time, the
crow sprinkled the earth around them ; instantly the globe
was formed, and it remains the same to this day. In this
state they lived very happily for some time. But the crow
was restless, and wished to better their condition. For this

352 " IF YOU don't believe it, you're a fool."

purpose she one day dressed herself, as upon the former
occasion, and went to visit the wolf, who, as usual, received
her very kindly. In course of conversation the crow
reminded the wolf of their still deplorable situation, there
being no living creatures but themselves upon the earth ;
they were indeed as pitiful as when surrounded by the
waters. So she proposed to make men, or, as they say,
Indians ; to which end she directed him to sing a particular
song, whilst she beat time with the rattle. After many
songs had been sung, the crow by degrees lost her natural
form, and assumed that of an Indian, who then made all the
beasts, birds, fishes, and insects, and from whom originated
all the other Indians. However ridiculous this story may
appear, argument has no weight with them. They say
bluntly that if you don't believe it, you're a fool.

These people have no idea of a Supreme Being ;'* they
deny the existence of any such thing. They also say that
when an Indian dies, all is over with him ; he falls to the
ground and decays, and never is any more seen or heard of
him. Thus they have no notion of a future state. They
say that men were intended to enjoy themselves in this
world, and he that acquires a good and great name during
his lifetime is always remembered and lamented. This
fame can be attained only by formal bravery in some great
action at war, marked by total contempt of danger, and
even of death itself. All these principles they appear to
adhere to very closely, which renders them an enterprising
and audacious people.

They are extravagantly fond of their horses ; many of
them have from 20 to 30 ; yet it is impossible to purchase
a common pack-horse for less than a new gun, a fathom
of H. B. Co. red strouds, and 200 balls and powder. Their

" Henry does not seem to be well posted on Hidatsan theology ; probably
Le Borgne guyed him a good deal, and enjoyed mystifying him. Nothing is
more difficult than to get at the facts of an Indian's belief in things he holds
sacred. The statement that a Supreme Being was denied is proof that they
had an idea of such a thing.

SIGNIFICANT SHAKES OF THE TAIL. 353

first-rate horses, such as are trained for war, or noted for
running, can hardly be had for any quantity of goods.
The only article that will induce them to part with a horse
of this kind is a white buffalo hide. They have a super-
stition that many superior virtues are contained in a skin
of this kind, and imagine it to be the most essential
article an Indian can possess. Every individual who wishes
to appear of any consequence must have at least one hide,
and the more he has, the greater his importance.

The manner of offering a hide of this kind for sale
is rather extraordinary. The person who has brought
it to the Missourie gives out that on such a day he will
expose it for sale in a certain hut. That morning he
fixes two sticks in the ground with a crotch to support
the ends of a pole, about four feet in length, over which
he stretches the skin, raised about three feet from the
ground, the tail hanging downward. When he takes his
station nearby, the sale commences by a native bringing
a horse, which he ties in the hut. But as this is not a
sufficient price, the owner of the hide casts a look at it,
and, without saying a word, takes hold of the tail of the
hide, and gives it a gentle shake, which signifies " not
enough." Soon another horse is brought, generally loaded
with corn, beans, etc. The owner of the hide again gently
shakes the tail, and continues to do so until they have
brought in six or eight horses, loaded with corn, beans,
robes, garnished leggings, shoes, smocks, etc. Not until
he has secured an enormous payment does he cease to
shake the tail at every article that the natives bring to
add to the price. But when they imagine they have
given enough for the hide, they then bring mere trifles,
just to keep tally with the tail. The owner, who then
perceives there is no prospect of getting anything more
of consequence, rises from his seat, and shakes the tail
no more, which is considered as the conclusion of the
sale. The hide is then taken away, cut into strips, and
distributed among those who gave anything toward the

354 HOW BIG BELLIES BULL THE MARKET.

purchase ; everyone receiving according to the value of his
contribution. Those strips of hide are kept as if very
precious, and displayed only upon certain occasions. At
this kind of sale you may get some good horses for hunting
buffalo, but none of their first-rate war horses. If you wish
to have one of these, a different method must be employed.
Inquiry must first be made which of the natives has such a
particular horse, and then the bargain is made in a more
private manner, with him only ; you point out the horse
you want, and if you are not too exorbitant in your de-
mand, he seldom, if ever, refuses. By this manner of dis-
posing of the hide, you will always get two or three first-
rate horses, and generally their loads of corn, etc., are
given with them. They get a number of those skins from
the Rocky Mountain Indians and Schians in exchange for
guns, ammunition, etc., so that scarcely any man of any
note in all the five villages is without one or more of them.
They prefer a calf's skin to that of a full-grown animal. I
observed one of the latter in the Mandane village, whose
head was on one side of a lead color, inclining to black,
and upon the other perfectly white ; upon the body were
many large spots of the same hue, on a white ground.

All the tribes I saw on the Missourie have a mean, dirty
custom, but more particularly the Big Bellies. When you
wish to purchase a horse, or, indeed, any trifle, they very
often instantly accept the price offered, and go away appar-
ently pleased with the bargain. But they soon come back,
refund the price, and without ceremony take back what
they have just sold. Should you offer to increase the
price, they may accept it, but you may rest assured it will
not be long before they bring back your property and ask
for theirs in return. It is of no use to augment the price,
as in the end they will insist on taking back their own
property, being at the same time very particular not to em-
bezzle the least article of yours. The best way is to take
back your own property upon the first offer, and without
murmuring. I was not philosopher enough to act in this

PRICES OF HORSES AND TURKEY TAILS. 355

manner, and narrowly escaped getting into trouble, which
might have been attended with serious consequences to
myself. I had purchased a tolerably good horse, though
not a first-rate one, and paid what I thought a good price
for him, viz.: 400 balls and powder, i new gun, i chief's
scarlet coat, i copper kettle, i hand ax, i iron lance three
feet long, i broad bead belt, 2 wampum hair pipes, 2
wampum shell pipes, y^ pound blue beads, i dozen brass
rings, I dozen hawk-bells, i fathom red H. B. Co.
strouds, y^, dozen flints, y^ dozen worms, ^ dozen awls, 2
large knives, 2 small knives, i mass B. C. beads, i hornful of
white powder. These articles, according to our standard
price on Red river, would amount to 100 beaver skins, and
according to the valuation of property on the Missourie, to
upward of double that amount. He was not in my posses-
sion more than half an hour, before the owner sent me
back my property, and demanded his horse, which I was
obliged to return to him. The affair so vexed me that
I used some very harsh expressions in the Assiniboine
language to one of the Big Bellies, who understood a few
words of that tongue. The fellow put on a very surly
countenance, and began to approach me, when one of his
companions, perceiving his design, interfered and took
him away ; the affair dropped, as I saw the fellow no more.
Another instance of their fickle manner of dealing I will
relate, as it occurred to myself. One of the natives had a
turkey-cock's tail, great numbers of which they get from
the Schians, and which serve them as fans ; this was a new
and fresh one, of beautiful hue. I gave him five rounds of
ammunition for it, with which he appeared well satisfied,
and left me, but soon returned with the ammunition, and
demanded the tail. Being loath to part with it, I added
five more rounds to the price, which he accepted, and went
away. However, he soon reappeared, and I added five
more ; but to no purpose, for he continued to go and come
until the payment amounted to 30 rounds. Upon his
next appearance I offered 40 rounds ; but he would no

356 FICKLE IN TRADING AND STINGY IN HUNTING.

longer listen to any offer, threw down my ammunition, and
insisted upon my returning him the tail, which I was
obliged to do. This fickle manner of dealing is common
even among themselves, and provided every article of the
price is punctually returned, the buyer cannot object to
return to the other his property, even should the bargain
have been closed for several days. Though so changeable
in dealing for horses and trifles, they are quite the reverse
in trading for buffalo robes, wolves, foxes, etc. They put
little value on any of those skins, and cannot imagine what
use we make of such trash, as they call it. They kill some
beavers and a few grizzly bears, all of which they dispose
of, and call the whites fools for giving them valuable
articles for such useless skins. Were it not for the H. B.
Co.'s servants, who come here to trade every winter, and
have spoiled the natives by giving good prices for summer
wolves, and other rubbish, we might carry on a very advan-
tageous trade with these people from our establishment on
the Assiniboine, as the articles they require are of little
real value to us.

This afternoon I was present at the return of a party of
Big Bellies from a hunting excursion ; they had been away
eight days. It consisted of about 200 men, and as many
women and children, who had accompanied them to attend
to their horses and dogs and dry the flesh ; all their
numerous train of beasts were heavily loaded with the
spoils, such as dried meat, hides, skins, and a quantity of
dried pears and chokecherries. They had killed, as nearly
as I could judge, about 500 animals — buffalo, red deer, and
cabbrie. But I did not observe amongst them that sociable
custom of sharing their hunt with their friends, as the Man-
danes do. Everyone kept what he brought home, and
appeared very careful of all he had. Some of them invited
us to their huts to eat, in expectation of receiving a bit of
tobacco, but we found it impossible to taste their dried
meat ; it was so nearly putrid that the pieces would scarcely
hold together. This, however, is entirely to their liking ;

MANNERS AT TABLE AND ELSEWHERE. 357

they seldom use meat till it is rotten ; they keep it in
their huts, unexposed to the air, till it is almost impos-
sible for a stranger to remain indoors on account of the
stench arising from putrefaction. Fortunately for us, none
of the people of our hut belonged to their hunting party ;
we, therefore, suffered only when invited into other huts.

I am told that in winter, when they kill a buffalo, they
generally cover it with snow, without even opening it, and
leave it for several days, until the flesh acquires a horrid
smell ; they then cut it up and use it. On the other hand,
when obliged to eat fresh meat, they are mere brutes,
allowing it but a few moments to get thoroughly warm,
when they devour it like so many ravenous wolves, with
the blood streaming down each side of their mouths. The
gristle of the nose, the liver, kidneys, paunch, testicles, and
fat they devour entirely raw, without even washing the
dung from the paunch.

This evening we were again invited into several huts, but
could taste of nothing but corn and berries ; not a morsel
of meat was eatable. These people are fond of pounding
everything they eat ; even their rotten meat is beaten in
the mortar, with fat of the same kind, and often berries ;
this would make excellent pemmican, were the meat in
proper condition. We took up our lodgings for the night
in Le Borgne's hut, with several women whose husbands
were absent, and who would have had no objections to our
filling the vacancy, especially as they observed we had
some articles they fancied. But I believe most of us
were already too much disgusted with them and their long
tubes to wish to become more intimately acquainted.

July 22d. I was awakened early by a young Big Belly,
who made me signs to go with him to eat, I got up
and followed him to his hut, where was spread a mat,
covered with buffalo hide, on which he desired me to
take my seat. I did so accordingly ; he presented me
with a dish of water, which, after my taking a draught,
he removed, and handed me a dish containing several

358 BURYING-GROUND — BLEACHING SIOUX BONES.

balls, about the size of a hen's egg, made of pears, dried
meat, and parched corn, beaten together in a mortar.
When I had done eating he took the dish back, and gave
me another of water. After this he brought me his pipe
with some of their own tobacco, a very disagreeable substi-
tute for the real article. We soon emptied his pipe by
their custom of each drawing the smoke with great vio-
lence, and frequently returning it to the other. He then
presented me with a buffalo robe, making signs that he
desired ammunition for it. But as I wanted nothing of the
kind, I gave him a few inches of tobacco, and returned to
my hut. They often call in this ceremonious manner when
their business is only to trade a wolfskin or some other
trifle ; and it is exactly in this manner that they wait upon
a guest whom they invite into their huts to eat.

This morning we took a walk to the burying-ground,
aboilt a mile S. W. of the village, upon the declivity of a
hill. Here we saw many melancholy spectacles of decayed
and decaying human forms. Some were tumbling to the
ground, while others obliged us to keep to windward, to
avoid the horrid stench. We also observed a great pile of
human bones, which we were given to understand were the
remains of a large number of Sioux, killed on the spot by
the Big Bellies about i6 years ago, when the Sioux formed
a scheme to extirpate every Big Belly in the country, and
take possession of their villages. The Yanktons and Titons
were the principal tribes concerned in this enterprise, and
formed a camp of 600 tents, who came with their families
to undertake this great affair. They had previously made
peace with the Mandanes and Saulteurs [Souliers], who
remained idle spectators during the siege. The Sioux
appeared openly, and pitched their 600 tents between
Knife river and the village, almost within gunshot of the
latter. In this situation they remained for 15 days, in
full hopes of reducing the inhabitants for want of water,
having completely intercepted communication with Knife
river, and keeping a guard to prevent them from getting a

SIOUX— SERENE GEORGICS — CHEYENNE SON. 359

supply from the Missourie. But the Big Bellies, taking-
advantage of the night, would mount their best horses and
run full speed to the Missourie, fill their bufTalo paunches,
and return in the same manner. Several were killed in the
attempt ; still, they found means to supply themselves, and
even threw over the stockades several paunches full, to
convince the enemy they were not in want of water. This
so disheartened the Sioux that they gave up all hopes of
reducing them ; and after several skirmishes they raised
the siege and returned home, leaving, as I was informed,
near 300 men, who had fallen in the different engage-
ments. The Sioux compelled the Mandanes to provide
them with corn, beans, etc., for their sustenance.

We ascended to the top of this hill, from which we had
a most delightful view of the villages and plantations
below, all of which could be distinctly seen at once, except-
ing the Mandane village on the N. The brushwood and
willows on that side of the river obstructed the view of the
huts, but the smoke was seen rising from almost every one.
The Missourie on the one hand, and Knife river on the other,
wound their courses through a level plain, thinly bor-
dered with wood, and bound in by high banks on both
sides, always at an equal distance apart, following the
various bends of the rivers. The morning was calm and
serene ; the natives were passing continually to and fro
between the villages ; others again were at work in their
fields, and great numbers of horses, dispersed in every
direction, served to enliven the scene.

On our return to the village we found that Le Borgne's
brother had arrived, in company with a Schian. They left
the Schian camp yesterday. The preliminaries of peace
having been settled by both parties, these two messengers
were sent to invite those here to be present at the defini-
tive treaty, which is to conclude by Le Borgne's adopting
a Schian son. This affair is generally attended with great
ceremony, and is considered the most binding treaty that
can be made ; and the more to obligate them in the ties

360 LEATHER INDUSTRY — CACHES OPENED.

of friendship, the women are invited to accompany the
men, and to take with them plenty of corn and beans,
to exchange with the Schians for dressed leather, robes,
and dried provisions. They have a peculiar art of dress-
ing leather, which the natives of these villages have not,
and this is one reason why the latter prefer it to their
own. Their robes are also trimmed and garnished quite
in a different manner from those of the Missourie Indians,
as they use porcupine-quills, dried straw and feathers,
whilst the natives here use nothing of the kind in gar-
nishing their robes, simply painting them black, red, and
blue ; so that the Schian manufacture is by far the most
beautiful.

The village was soon in an uproar, the women mean-
while uncovering their hidden stores of corn, beans, etc.
It is customary in the fall, after the harvest, when the
grain is well dried in the sun, to take it off the cob, and
deposit it in deep pits about the villages. These holes
are about eight feet deep; the mouth is just wide enough
for a person to descend, but the inside is hollowed out
to any size, and then the bottom and sides are well lined
with dry straw. Such caches contain from 20 to 30 bushels
of corn and beans, which are thrown in loose and covered
over with straw and earth. The ground is of such a dry,
sandy nature, that grain stored in this way will keep
for several years without injury. So numerous about the
villages are these pits, which at this season of the year
are mostly empty, that it is really dangerous for a stranger
to stir out after dark, as the natives never take the pre-
caution to cover them over when empty.

Having nothing further to do at this village, and being
thoroughly disgusted with the inhabitants, we saddled and
set off for the lower Mandane village. On our way we
observed the women all busy, taking up their hidden
treasures and making preparations for the approaching
fair. I was surprised to see what quantities they had on
hand ; I am very confident they had enough to serve

EVIDENCE OF ANOTHER COLLISION WITH SIOUX. 361

them at least 12 months, without a supply of flesh or any-
thing else. We every moment met women and children
loaded with produce, as we supposed to exchange with
their neighbors, so as to be provided with a variety of
articles. At two o'clock we regained our old quarters and
found the village in the same bustle as those above —
women and children uncovering caches and filling bags,
repairing saddles, making and mending shoes and smocks,
cleaning and rubbing the leather with white earth. There
were no dogs to harass nor children to tease us, and the
natives were of mild, sociable, and affable disposition ; so
we found ourselves quite at home.

I walked out to see the remains of a great number of
Sioux — some say near 300 ; but I will not vouch for the
truth of this, as others say there were but 30 men killed.
This Sioux party, like the other, consisted of Yanktons and
Titons, whose object on this occasion was to destroy the
Mandanes ; but the Big Bellies came to the assistance of
their neighbors, and a severe battle was fought on the level
plain between the village and the high bank. Both parties
were mounted, and victory was as often within the grasp
of the one as of the other, until a considerable party of Big
Bellies, who were making haste to assist their friends, re-
enforced by a party of Rocky Mountain, or Crow Indians,
who happened just then to arrive, all in a body rushed
toward the field of battle. Observing with what fury the
front was engaged, they determined to surround the enemy
by turning to the left without being observed, as the
country permitted this movement. They rode up a deep
valley, which brought them upon the hills so far away as
not to be in sight of the enemy. Keeping on the S. side
of those rising grounds, they went full speed into the valley
which led down to the rear of the enemy. There they fell
in with a great number of women, who had accompanied
their husbands, in full expectation of destroying the Man-
danes and plundering the village ; numbers of them were
instantly murdered, and others retained as prisoners. The

362 HIOUX REPULSED — LONG FOOT RACES RUN.

party then appeared on the rising ground in the rear of the
Sioux, and fell upon them with fury, dealing death and
destruction around. The enemy, overpowered by numbers,
and exhausted by fatigue, were obliged to give way, but
their retreat had been cut off, and they were so hard
pressed that they were obliged to throw themselves into
the Missourie, and attempt to swim across. Many more were
killed, and but an inconsiderable number survived to return
to their own country. Since that time they have been
more cautious in coming to war in these parts, and have
never dared to attack the village. These villages are sur-
rounded by a kind of stockade, principally made of drift-
wood, which has a miserable appearance and is daily falling
to pieces ; but I am told that upon any emergency it can
be put into a tolerably good state of defense at very short
notice, as every man, woman, and child lends a hand.

We witnessed a diversion which takes place almost every
day between the Mandanes and Saulteurs [Souliers]. It is
the exercise of running long foot races, in order to be pre-
pared for the emergency of being dismounted and obliged
to fly from their enemies at war. They assemble upon a
beautiful green near the village, where, having remained
some time, calling out to their comrades to come and run,
they set off in a file on a slow trot, entirely naked, taking
the road that leads up the hills to the S., about a mile from
the village. Passing near those rising grounds, they disap-
pear, and are not seen till they reappear from the S. E.,
down a steep hill and over a level plain, to the spot whence
they started. Here they do not stop, but rush on to the
Missourie, and plunge in headlong, all covered with dust
and sweat. The race is at least six miles long, and it is
surprising to see what a great distance some of them gain
upon others. This violent exercise is performed on the
hottest summer days, and it is a wonder that some of them
do not pay dearly for their temerity.

During my absence yesterday my people, who remained
here, witnessed a horse race. The Mandanes assembled in

HORSE RACING — GAMBLING ON THE GREEN. 363

great numbers on horseback, and rode about three miles
below the village, where all mustered. They set out in a
body, pell-mell, whipping and kicking their horses, directing
their course along the foot of the hills, and made a long
circuit at full speed around the village. Some of their
horses appeared very swift and spirited, but others were
miserable animals. On their arrival they performed their
warlike manoeuvres on horseback, feigning their different
attacks upon the enemy, giving their strokes of the battle-
ax and thrusts of the spear, and defending themselves in
turn by parrying blows and covering themselves with their
shields.

The Big Bellies amuse themselves by shooting at a mark,
either with guns or bows and arrows. I observed one par-
ticular game among the Mandanes, which the young men
were continually" playing. Two persons are each provided
.with a stick six feet long, on which are cut a certain num-
ber of notches, an inch long, in the intervals of which are
fixed the same number of small bunches of feathers of
divers colors, with three pieces of wood, 16 inches square,
one near each end, and one in the middle ; these are per-
forated in the center, and through them is passed the rod,
painted of divers colors. Each notch has a particular
mark, the nature of which they themselves only under-
stand— indeed, the same may be said of the whole game.
The ground on which they play is a smooth level space,
about 40 paces long and 5 broad. The players stand side
by side, start from one end of the ground, and trot on till
they are halfway through, when one of them throws a ball
gently ahead, in such a manner that it will not roll further
than the space allowed for the game ; at the same time
both players push their rod forward to overtake and keep
pace with the ball, but not to check its course. They then
examine the particular notch or bunch of feathers at which
the ball stops, and count accordingly.

The greater part of the men — Big Bellies, Mandanes, and
Saulteurs [Souliers] — have lost a joint of several fingers.

364 PENITENTIAL MUTILATION AND PERAMBULATION.

particularly of the left hand, and it is not uncommon to see
only the two fore-fingers and thumbs entire. Amputa-
tion is performed for the loss of a near relation, and like-
wise during the days of penance, on which they display
their fortitude and courage in the following manner: When
a young man has attained the age of 20 years, he generally,
in the depth of winter, performs his penance by setting out
entirely naked and alone, with only two or three pairs of
shoes, the iron barb of an arrow, and no means of making
a fire. In this condition he repairs to a certain high hill,
a day's journey from the village. On this hill he must
remain as many days as his strength will permit, during
which time he neither eats, drinks, nor sleeps, but passes
the time in dancing, bawling, howling, and lamenting.
Here also he amputates a finger with the iron barb brought
for that purpose. Some have been known to be absent
seven days in the severest weather. This may appear
incredible, but I have it from several eye-witnesses of such
pilgrimages, and do not doubt it. After several days —
more or fewer — the penitent makes his appearance, coming
at full speed, and as there is continually somebody upon
the huts, information is instantly given of his return. He
•is met by a particular friend, who has kept account of the
number of days he has been absent, and for every day has
been prepared a bull's head, to which has been fastened lyi
fathoms of cord. The other end of this is affixed to an in-
cision in the penitent's back or shoulders, by pinching up a
fold of skin and flesh, through which is thrust the barb of
an arrow ; as many days as he has been absent, so many
must be the incisions, and the number of heads must also
tally with them. He must then walk around the village,
howling and bawling, with all those bulls' heads trailing
on the ground ; in some places, where the ground is rough,
the poor fellow must pull and tug hard to get through, as
the horns continually catch in uneven spots, and often fall
into some of the empty corn pits, where they would hold
until the skin gave way or the cord broke, were they not

ATROCIOUS TORMENTS — TATTOO. 365

attended to by some children who make it their business to
disengage the horns. So many days as he has been absent,
so many times must he walk round the village, never ceas-
ing to utter lamentations. Some have been known to fall
senseless during this painful ordeal ; but even then they
only allow themselves a few moments to recover, and pro-
ceed again. Having finished the necessary rounds, he is
disengaged from the bulls' heads by his friend, with a long
harangue, applauding his courage and fortitude ; he may
then retire to his hut and take care of his wounds, as he is
in a shocking condition. Some never recover, and others
languish for months before they get well.

They have another custom of putting their courage and
contempt of pain to task by tormenting their flesh in a most
atrocious manner. This is done by pinching up a fold of
the skin and flesh an inch broad, under which they pass the
iron barb of an arrow ; they raise stripes in this manner
from the back of the hand to the shoulder, and thence
to the breast, there joining three or four separate circles
of incisions made in the same manner on the lower part of
the breast. Some content themselves by raising stripes of
different lengths upon their arms and thighs, and forming
crescentic cuts on the breast in a very regular manner,
one within another; some with the horns upward, others
downward, according to fancy.°^

Most of the women have their faces tattooed in a very
savage manner, lines a quarter of an inch broad passing
from the nose to the ear, and down each side of the mouth
and chin to the throat. This disfigures them very much ;
otherwise, some would have tolerably good faces. Some
tattooing is done to beautify the face, but at other times it
is the disfiguring mark of a fit of jealousy in the husband.

*^ Lest Henry's account of these self-inflicted tortures seem exaggerated, let me
say, it falls short of the actual atrocity of such performances, which no fakirs
or devotees of Juggernaut in India have surpassed. See for example Catlin's
pi. 68, and accompanying text. Henry's Mandan matters as a whole should
be collated not only with L. and C, but also with Catlin's Letters, Nos. 10-25,
pp. 66-207, pll- 37-84, and with the luxurious folios of Prince Maximilian.

366 MORE JEALOUSY WOULD MEAN LESS SYPHILIS.

When a Mandane's handsome young wife is too lavish of
her favors without his consent, he tattooes her face as a
punishment. Although it cannot be said that these people
are much given to jealousy, still it is absolutely necessary
for a woman to have the consent of her husband to cohabit
with a stranger, whether he is white or one of their own
people. But I observed during my stay that this consent
is not so very necessary in regard to the inhabitants of the
same village, as every morning early there were examples
to be seen in their plantations of their loose way of living.
Many of our servants who frequent these parts to trade in
the winter, and who have too intimate connections with the
fair sex, are attacked by a painful and loathsome disorder,
which commonly appears in the groin, where it forms
abscesses and, if neglected, will soon prove dangerous.

CHAPTER X.

THE CHEYENNE TREATY: 1806.

rirnr EDNESDAY, July 23d! Early in the morning the
^^^^^^ natives began to file off in small parties ; all were
to assemble on the top of a high hill at some distance from
the village. At ten o'clock Le Borgne's brother and the
Schian arrived, informed us that all were off, and requested
us to accompany them to the Schian camp, as he was cer-
tain that his brother would be happy to see us, and we
should be under his particular charge in case of accident.
Having previously determined to follow this party, we were
happy to have him propose what exactly suited our own
inclinations. But my landlord was so obliging as to insist
on my accepting the services of his young wife on my
journey, for which purpose he had provided her with a
horse and other necessaries. I did not in the least relish
this proposal, and signified as much to him ; but he was
determined to send her, and I could only hope to give her
the slip among the crowd. As she was not ready to start
at the same time we did, I had a favorable opportunity of
avoiding her.

We mounted our horses and put ourselves under the
directions of Le Borgne's brother, a very stout, well-built
fellow. Our course on leaving the village was S., directly
up the high bank, through a very rough, hilly country,
without wood of any kind. At one o'clock we came to the
hill, where a multitude of people awaited our conductor.
The top of the hill was entirely covered with men, women,
children, and horses. On our arrival old Choke-cherry,' a

' " The old chief we have mentioned, whose name is Caltahcota or Cherry on
a Bush," L. and C, p. 184, is doubtless the same person who is here called
"old Choke-cherry."

367

368 THE PARTY FORMED IN MARCHING ORDER.

Big Belly, made a long harangue, after which all moved
southward, the men taking the van and the women bringing
up the rear ; the latter had their horses loaded with corn,
beans, etc., themselves and children astraddle over all, like
farmers going to the mill. The men's horses were light,
and all the young men wore their finest habiliments and
war-dresses. Many had scalps suspended from the bits of
their Spanish bridles, or dangling at their horses' breasts, or
attached to the handles of their spears and battle-axes ; all
were armed with guns, spears, battle-axes, and bows and
arrows. The party mustered about 500 men and 300 women,
all mounted.

Soon after getting in motion the young men formed
themselves into parties of 10 to 30 abreast and proceeded
at a slow, regular pace. They began to sing their war-
songs, accompanied with a number of rattles ; this, with the
continual neighing and snorting of their horses, which in a
manner kept time to their songs, and their regular pace and
motion, made really an imposing, warlike spectacle. At
intervals they ceased singing and ran races, then formed
again and proceeded as before. Thus we jogged along very
pleasantly over the barren, hilly country until four o'clock,
when old Choke-cherry, who acted as generalissimo, passed
and repassed amongst us at full gallop, haranguing and
attended by three of his sons, who repeated what the old
man said, which was an order to halt to allow the horses to
feed and themselves to smoke. These three are princi-
pal men among the tribe, having performed some extraordi-
nary feats of bravery at war. The eldest is named Chief of
the Wolves;* the second Lake, and the third Rattlesnake.

A general halt accordingly took place near a small brook'
which runs through the plains from W. to E., where the
horses were unloaded. A young man came full speed in

* " Ahrattanamokshe or Wolf Man Chief, who is now at war, and is the son
of the old chief we have mentioned," L. and C, p. 184.

^This appears to be the stream on the S. of the Missouri upon which is now
a place called Deapolis ; but its name I have never learned.

POLYGAMOUS GENERALISSIMO CHOKE-CHERRY. 369

search of us, and desired us to ride on to Le Borgne's
brother, who was waiting for us. We found him near the
foot of the party, seated upon the grass, surrounded by the
principal men of the village. He offered us a seat near
him and we partook of the pipe which was then going
round, but filled only with disagreeable tobacco. We rested
about an hour, when the old man got up again and made
the harangue to load, which was expeditiously done.
When all appeared to be ready, he gave orders in another
harangue for all to proceed. Two Crows, a Big Belly, who
carried Le Borgne's grand pipe of ceremony, took the lead,
the others filing after him ; a speech was made by our old
general, ordering the women to place themselves with their
loaded horses in the center; a large party of men led the
van, with equal numbers on each flank and as many more in
the rear. This precaution was taken lest an enemy, having
discovered us, might cut off some of the women, who were
always straggling behind. This part of the country is very
dangerous, being so hilly that it gives an enemy an oppor-
tunity of approaching almost within gunshot without being
perceived. When any small party are lurking about the
villages, which is frequently the case, they conceal them-
selves among these hills until an opportunity offers of get-
ting a scalp.

At sunset we found ourselves near a large pond of stag-
nant water, and our old spokesman gave orders to halt and
camp for the night. Our conductor again sent a young
man on horseback in search of us, to desire us to take up
our quarters near him ; we accordingly did so, and found
him, as usual, smoking with all the great men. He in-
stantly made a place for us near himself, presented the
pipe, some meadow turnips, and a few ears of very hard,
dry corn, which the women had parched upon the usual
fuel — dried buffalo dung. This v/as far from being a pala-
table supper, as my teeth could not manage the corn, and
the turnips are insipid. This man has seven wives, three of
whom accompany him upon the present jaunt. He is a

370 CHIEF OF THE WOLVES — RUGGED HILLS.

remarkably stout, well-proportioned fellow, upward of six
feet tall, and not more than 30 years of age ; his arms and
breasts are much disfigured by the custom of raising stripes
of skin and flesh ; his countenance is mild, for a Big Belly's,
and his behavior toward us was always more affable, gen-
erous, and kind than that of any other of his tribe.

Soon after we were settled for the night, with upward of
300 buffalo-dung fires smoking in every direction around
us. Chief of the Wolves mounted a famous horse of his
own, and at full speed passed through the camp, leaping
over fires and baggage, and making a long harangue, the
substance of which was to order the young men to be upon
the watch during the night to prevent a surprise by the
enemy. Accordingly, several parties of young men on foot
left camp in different directions, to take their stations at cer-
tain distances, and keep strict watch until daybreak. Our
conductor informed us that this was the point where Andr6
Gouzzeon, who had deserted the service of the N. W. Co.
the year before, was murdered by the Sioux, in company
with five Mandanes, in 1801, while hunting buffalo.

This evening the weather was sultry and cloudy, with the
appearance of rain ; but, to our great comfort and surprise,
not one mosquito was to be seen. It is extraordinary that
on the N. side of the Missourie those troublesome insects
should be so very numerous, while here, only a few leagues
to the S., not one is to be found. I cannot account for
this, as the soil appears to be nearly the same. The coun-
try, however, is more uneven and rugged, with very few
spots of level plain ; the hills, some of which are of amaz-
ing height, are in general covered with large stones of
different kinds, including granite ; some are of an enormous
size, and at a distance may be mistaken for pitched tents.
Another kind is a flat, soft, reddish stone, which lies in
piles on the summits of some of the hills. I measured
some of these great slabs, which I found to be 20 paces in
circumference. Upon these barren hills even grass is
scarce. Some of the lesser hills are also covered with this

BAD WATER— STEM OF CEREMONY — HALT ! 371

reddish stone in a different state, being broken and crum-
bled into a sort of coarse gravel, the sharp points of which
endanger our horses ; in passing over them, we have to
proceed with great caution. We suffered much from want
of good water ; that in the pond was a mere poison to the
taste and smell, though the Indians drank it with pleasure.
These savage brutes can drink stinking, stagnant water
with as good a stomach as if it were spruce beer.

July 24.th. At daybreak all were on the alert ; our old
general soon mounted his steed, accompanied by his eldest
son, who appears to be second in command, and passed
through the camp, making his usual harangue to muster
the horses and load. This being done, another speech
ordered us to form and march, the same as yesterday ; Two
Crows taking the lead with the stem of ceremony, which
he continually held out before him, never allowing it to
touch either his own or any other horse. Once, when he
was obliged to adjust his saddle, and I was riding near
him, he gave me the stem to hold. Without any cere-
mony, I laid it across my saddle-bow ; but the old gentle-
man rode up in great haste and directed me to hold it
before me in such a manner that it touched nothing but
my hand. My situation was awkward, and I cannot sup-
pose I held it with a good grace ; I was much relieved
when he got ready to take it, and determined to keep at
a distance from the old gentleman, lest he might take it
into his head to honor me again in this manner.

At seven o'clock, just as the vanguard had gained the
summit of one of those high rocky hills, it began to rain
hard. Our old general ordered a halt, and his eldest
son went the rounds repeating the order. All covered
themselves as well as they could, some with their robes,
others with their saddle equipments ; but many of the
young men, who had neither robes nor saddles, and were
dressed in their fineries, which would have been spoiled
if wet, preferred to undress entirely, and gave their friends
their things to keep from the rain. We had not been

372 IMPRUDENT DISOBEDIENCE OF ORDERS.

seated many minutes before word was brought to our
second in command that a party of Mandanes had dis-
obeyed orders, made a circuit among the hills, and pro-
ceeded on their journey; we saw them at some distance
ahead, pushing forward. This disobedience appeared to
vex him much ; his countenance changed, and he jumped
up, declaring vengeance against them if they did not
return instantly. He caught up his spear, threw his robe
upon his horse, and without either saddle or bridle, rode off
after them. His horse, as it were, flew over the stones
and down the hill. He soon overtook and ordered them
back, which they as soon obeyed. He returned in the
same manner, at full speed, up the hill, among rocks and
stones, where every moment we expected to see him come
to grief. But, to my surprise, the horse never once stum-
bled, nor appeared to strain himself. The look of this
beast was certainly not in his favor; he was a bright sorrel
gelding with a yellowish mane, seven years old, and 14
hands high, slim and long-bodied, with remarkably stout
bones, which gave him an ugly, awkward appearance.
During the absence of the war chief his father, our old
general, made a long speech, pointing out the imprudence
of those who wished to push on ahead of the party, with
such vehemence and evident displeasure that he could
scarcely get through with his oration.

Here again I observed the great superiority the Big
Bellies wish to maintain over the Mandanes ; their num-
bers indeed give them this privilege, and they appear to
make good use of it to keep their neighbors in awe ; but
this causes continual jealousy, and may one day break out
'in war. Open rupture has, in fact, frequently been immi-
nent, though by the interference of persons of considera-
tion it has thus far been prevented, but seldom without
some bloodshed, and perhaps a death or two on each side.
The Mandanes have the reputation of defending them-
selves to the last moment when attacked by an enemy ; let
the number be ever so great against them, they scorn to

DISCIPLINE ENFORCED — MARCH RESUMED. 373

fly, and fight to the last man. But they are not so enter-
prising as the Big Bellies ; they seldom form great war par-
ties, whilst the others are perpetually at war, and seldom
is the village found with no party absent on an excursion
of this nature. In this they hold themselves above their
neighbors, and boast of warlike actions.

We earnestly begged the Indians to allow us to proceed
alone, representing to them that we were in haste to return
home, and that it was of very little consequence to us
whether we got wet riding, or sitting on the ground. Gros
Blanc was anxious to proceed with us, and seconded our
proposal ; but a few words from our old general silenced
him, and he appeared entirely out of countenance. The
objection to our proceeding alone was that the road was
dangerous, and as we were under their particular charge,
should any accident happen to us, Le Borgne would cen-
sure them ; therefore, we must make ourselves easy, and not
think of leaving them. This magnanimity we took in good
part, and determined to abide by their directions ; but we
afterward learned that it was mere policy, to prevent our
reaching the place before them. They knew of several
famous horses there, which our old general and his sons
wanted to get for themselves, and as we had some property,
they supposed we would purchase those horses. We had
put some hopes in the interference of Gros Blanc ; but
he was soon brow-beaten, although he was the only one
decorated with a silver medal of the United States.

At eight o'clock the rain ceased, and orders were given
to march. At nine we passed the Wolf's Tent, a stupen-
dous hill, which we had seen since yesterday afternoon, in
the form of a sugar-loaf. The base is more extended,
and scantily covered with the grass that grows upon red
gravel and clay soils ; the top is nearly level, and covered
with huge flat stones forming several shallow caves, in
which wolves bring forth their young. Several of us as-
cended this hill on horseback, the natives making it a point
of horsemanship to stick on as long as possible, while to

374 THE wolf's tent — TERRIFIC TOILETS.

display the vigorous nerves of their beasts they pushed on
as fast as possible. At last the poor animals could scarcely
keep their legs, the hill grew so steep ; we were all obliged
to dismount and walk up to the summit. From this
spot we had a delightful prospect, and saw the main body
passing the foot of the hill on the N. side, all at a slow
trot, in compact order, the same as yesterday. Many
hundred yards below us, buffalo and cabbrie were feeding
in abundance, but they were not molested. We soon
descended the hill and joined the party.

At eleven o'clock orders were given to halt for the pur-
pose of dressing, painting, and preparing for our arrival
at the Schian camp, which was at no great distance.
This ceremony and preparation required some time, during
which the old man and the principal war chiefs made
several rounds on horseback, haranguing their people, and
telling the young men to dress themselves in their best,
so as to look like such warriors as Willow Indians are
known to be. For the first time some of the Mandane
chiefs also made the rounds on horseback, haranguing their
own people ; urging the young men to decorate themselves
and appear to the best advantage, to show other nations
that the stationary village was as brave a set of warriors
as any in the world. It was plain to see the partiality
of these people for their own tribe. During the journey,
common safety kept them all in a compact body, but
whenever a halt was made, the inhabitants of the several
villages formed in different groups, everyone with his
own people, and there was always a space between the
Big Bellies and the Mandanes.

At one o'clock, all were decked to the best advantage,
to make them look more savage and ferocious than they
naturally were ; this was certainly bad enough, and little
art was required to render them truly hideous. Even their
horses were daubed over with red and white earth, some
in large patches, others with prints of the hand, and others
again with various stripes to match the fierce looks of the

THE STIFF-NECKED CAVALCADE SWEEPS ON. 375

riders. A few hundred such frightful beings, rushing upon
an enemy, with horrid yells and shouts, would strike terror
into people not accustomed to such devils. Orders then
given to mount and proceed were instantly obeyed, every-
one admiring his own ferocious appearance, and careful to
keep in the nicest order, without disarranging his dress or
daubing. No more races were run ; nothing but singing
was heard ; the young fellows appeared as stiff and proud
of their persons as courtiers going to make formal appear-
ance at a grand levee, and scarcely deigned to look at one
of us otherwise than with contempt.

We crossed a small rivulet, on which grew a few stunted
willows — the first wood or brush we had seen since leaving
the Missourie. There must have been an astonishing num-
ber of buffalo in these parts during the summer, and,
indeed, at all seasons. The grass is entirely destroyed, and
the numerous deep ruts, both old and fresh, almost touch
each other, and run in every direction. At three o'clock
orders were given to halt on the summit of a high hill, at
whose foot, on the S. side, a small river ran from W. to E.;
half a mile ahead, on the banks, appeared some small wood,
mostly willow. We had expected to meet the Schians at
this river, they having promised to advance one encampment
further N., as wood and water were very scarce where Le
Borgne's brother had left them. Our party appeared sus-
picious of treachery, as they said perhaps a re-enforcement
at the Schians' camp or the arrival of Sioux might have deter-
mined them to alter their plans; they might have sacrificed
Le Borgne and some other great men who were there with
them ; and as they knew women were to accompany our
party, they might have laid an ambuscade to fall upon us.
It was, therefore, determined to take possession of this hill,
and send some young men ahead upon the best horses,
en d^couverte — keeping the Schian with us. This poor fel-
low appeared very uneasy, and, to tell the truth, most of us
were in the same situation. We remained in suspense for
some time, till, upon a distant hill to the S., the young men

376 IN HOLLOW SQUARE TO THE CHEYENNE CAMP.

were observed to make some signs which our party under-
stood, and orders were instantly given to proceed.

We passed down the hill to the little river, which ap-
peared muddy and dangerous to cross. The perpetual
crossing of buffalo here, and the ravages they have made in
fording, rendered it doubtful whether we could get through.
But no time was to be lost ; we dashed in pell-mell, and got
over as best we could, in mud and mire up to the horses'
bellies. Many stuck fast until their friends helped them
out ; and those who got over waited until the last had
crossed. Here we met our young men, who informed us
they had discovered the Schian camp at no great distance
beyond a hill to the S. This information put everything
in order again. These people are superstitious in many
things, and so suspicious that the least sign of failure to
keep a promise made by a stranger is instantly attributed
to treachery, and puts them on their guard accordingly.
All having safely crossed the river and adjusted themselves
afresh, orders were given to form and proceed in the fol-
lowing manner : In the front was Le Borgne's brother,
attended by Two Crows on his left, holding out the stem,
and a war chief on his right, supporting an American flag
on a long pole. These three great men advanced ten
paces ; 40 Big Bellies immediately followed and formed
abreast, singing and shaking their rattles. To the right
and left of these, and somewhat in the rear, two parties, of
30 men each, filed off, singing in the same manner. In the
rear of those, again, but in the middle line, was formed
another party of 40 young men, also singing. The center
of these four squads was a vacant space, into which we
were desired to form abreast, in company with some of the
most respectable old men. The four squads kept in per-
fect order, closing and extending their ranks as the very
rugged ground required. Behind them and us came small
parties of tens, twenties, and thirties, singing and shouting
at intervals. The women brought up the rear.

Matters being thus adjusted according to the plans and

CHEYENNE CAVALRY ADVANCES. 377

ideas of our old general and his eldest son, the principal
war chief, we moved at a quick step, whilst those two com-
manders were continually passing through the ranks at full
speed, haranguing and directing the young men. We did
not advance far before we met a small party of Schians on
horseback. They were young men sent to meet us. They
all gave us a friendly shake of the hand, uttering some words
in their own language which no one present understood.
Their horses were mostly beautiful, spirited beasts; some
were masked in a very singular manner, to imitate the head
of a buffalo, red deer, or cabbrie, with horns, the mouth
and nostrils — even the eyes — trimmed with red cloth.
This ornamentation gave them a very fierce appearance.
They were by far the best built and most active horses I
had seen in this country — superior, in every respect, to
those we see to the northward. We came on about a mile,
when, from an eminence, we perceived a large party of
horsemen advancing abreast, in perfect order. We were
ordered to stop, without dismounting ; the several squads
keeping their respective places, singing, shaking their
rattles, and, at intervals, shouting. The Schians and
Sioux — for the camp was composed of both of these na-
tions, and a few Buffalo Indians — having advanced within
about 50 paces of us, made a general halt, facing us ; they
were about 100 men. The neighing, snorting, and prancing
of such a large company of strange horses, meeting each
other suddenly and being restrained by their riders, had
really a very spectacular effect.

We had not remained many minutes in this manner,
when suddenly the first great war chief of the Schians, who
was posted in their center, mounted on a handsome black
stallion, gave him the reins, and at full speed rode directly
up to the flag, the staff of which he folded in his arms ;
then he embraced the war chief who held it, next Le
Borgne's brother, and then Two Crows. This ceremony
being performed on horseback, with the greatest dispatch
and dexterity imaginable, he passed on to the main body,

378 SALUTATORY CEREMONIES — SALUTARY AUSPICES.

selecting particular persons, whom he embraced very cor-
dially ; finally he came to us and gave us a hearty hand-
shake, but did not take any of us in his arms. He was
dressed in a sort of a blue coat or shirt, which he had pro-
cured from the Spaniards, and a coarse striped blanket,
such as we use to cover ourselves in Canada, also
got from the same people. He was very active, and re-
markably adroit in the management of his horse ; his
countenance was open and pleasant, his manner affable
and agreeable. As soon as this great man had performed
the ceremony of embracing the flag, his whole party came
on full speed amongst us ; at the same moment orders
were given for us to proceed, and every one of them se-
lected one of our party, whom he adopted as his comrade,
which is done by riding up to and embracing him. The
ground over which we moved being rough and covered
with loose, round stones, and all these ceremonies and
manoeuvres being performed on horseback at a gallop, it
was surprising no accident happened. They each in turn
shook us very warmly by the hand, saying something we
did not comprehend, but supposed it was a welcome. The
bustle and noise of so many horses galloping and prancing
through the ranks, while the war chiefs of all parties, now
being intermixed, passed from right to left at full speed,
each making his own arrangements in his own language,
had quite a martial appearance. The substance of those
speeches was to welcome each other, give mutual thanks
for the present happy and auspicious occasion, and express
their wishes that they might henceforth live like brothers,
and bury in oblivion all former animosities. These har-
angues did not cease until we came in sight of the camp,
which we first saw from the brow of a high hill, situated
upon a level spot below us about half a mile distant. Be-
tween the camp and us lay a rivulet, whose borders were
thinly lined with stunted willows, and 300 paces beyond
the camp appeared another rivulet of the same kind. Here
we were all ordered to form in line abreast, with the women

RECEPTION BY LE BORGNE HIMSELF. 379

in the rear. Our position was between two heights, much
more elevated than the eminence on which we stood, arid
as our line was of great length, it extended on both wings
to the very tops of those heights, which overlooked the
camp.

Immediately upon our halting, the Schians and Sioux
left us, and rode full speed down the hill to the camp. I
wished to accompany them, but was prevented by the Big
Bellies, who would allow no one to leave the ranks. Our
stay here, however, was but short; during that time a
terrible singing and shouting was kept up by our party,
and the horses appeared to join in chorus, making as much
noise as their riders. As Le Borgne's brother and Two
Crows rode off toward the camp, we attempted to leave
the ranks and follow them, but were called back by the
Chief of the Wolves, who desired us to keep our station in
the center of the line. But in a few moments orders were
issued for us to file off in small parties toward the camp ;
and having almost reached it, we were met by a young
man on horseback coming at full speed into our ranks in
search of us. Desiring us to follow him, he wheeled about
and rode off. We were not slow to follow him, being
heartily tired of such ceremonious proceedings. We en-
tered the camp, and rode on to the further end after our
conductor, who stopped at a large tent, before the door of
which the flag was flying.

Here we were met by Le Borgne himself, who came out
to receive us, and having shaken us very kindly by the
hand, desired us to enter, whilst his women unsaddled our
horses and took in our baggage. He appeared highly
pleased to see us, and instantly ordered his women to pre-
pare something for us to eat, which was soon done, there
being plenty of fresh meat. This man is upward of six feet
high, and stout in proportion, but not in the least inclined
to corpulency ; he has lost the sight of his right eye, a thick
white coat entirely covering the sight ; but the penetrating
look from his left eye, the great size of his aquiline nose,

38o LE BORGNE LORD OF LAW AND LIFE.

and the width of his mouth, make ample amends for that
single deficiency, and give him the aspect of a fierce, savage
brute. His countenance fully denotes his character, which
is that of a brave, enterprising warrior. This man is the
great chief of the Big Bellies, and, indeed, the principal
man in the five villages ; whatever he says is law. On
many occasions he has displayed his personal bravery in
civil quarrels, and in disturbances between his own tribe
and the Mandanes, in every one of which he has gained the
advantage and succeeded in his own plans, not always with-
out the death of his adversary, which no individual dared
avenge. He is the oldest of five brothers, and appears to
be about 45 years of age.

On our arrival the principal men among the Schians were
busy riding around at full speed, both within and without
the camp, haranguing with great vehemence, ordering the
people to receive their friends well, take them into their
tents, give them plenty to eat, secure their property from
theft, exchange their own commodities upon equal terms,
and cheat or wrong nobody. By this time our main body
had entered the camp and were formed in the center ; the
young men, as usual, singing, whilst the old men and war
chiefs continually galloped around, haranguing their own
people to deal fairly with the rest, and be guilty of no
foolish pranks, but make a firm and lasting peace with a
people whom they should now consider their best friends.
This formal business continued for some time, until all the
women had been invited into different tents; then the men
ceased haranguing and singing, dismounted, and sent their
horses to feed and rest — which many of them greatly needed
after the violent exercise they had taken since morning.

During all these performances Le Borgne never once
looked out of his tent, but sat unconcernedly smoking and
talking with us. His manners appeared pleasant ; in con-
versation a perpetual smile played upon his countenance ;
when matters did not please him he still smiled, but it was
then a ghastly grin. To his women he is a mere brute ; he

VENGEANCE IS MINE, SAITH THE LORD. 38 1

uses them more like slaves than wives. They appeared to
be in continual dread of him, and not without cause, as he
has butchered some of them with his own hands and with
the greatest composure imaginable. Although he is not of
a jealous disposition, still he does not approve of his women
disposing of their persons without his knowledge. A strik-
ing instance of this happened not very long ago at his own
residence whilst he was absent on a hunting-party. One of
his wives had formed an attachment with a young man of
the same village. About the time her husband was expected
to return, she, dreading his anger, left her hut and took up
her abode with her paramour. Soon after this Le Borgne
arrived, and presently inquired where she was. Being
informed of the affair, without saying one word he took his
battle-ax and went directly to the hut where he supposed
she was. He raised up the door and saw her sitting upon
the young man's bed. He desired her to come forth, but
she hesitated and dared not stir; he rushed in and dragged
her by the hair through the door to the porch, where he
dispatched her with his ax, without speaking to the young
man, who was sitting by the fire." It is extraordinary that
he could with impunity resent an affront of this kind in such
a harsh manner, as he has often been guilty of debauching
young women, both maidens and wives. Some he has kept
for his own use, and others he has returned to their friends
or husbands when tired of their company ; and still none
have dared to avenge the affront. When any female strikes
his fancy he makes no ceremony, but uses her as if she was
his own.

The Schian camp is situated in a delightful spot, on a
level, elevated plain ; in the rear, on the S. runs a rivulet,
beyond which the river is bounded by high, barren hills,
partly covered with large round stones. On the front or
N. side runs the rivulet we crossed, and there the view
extends no further than the hill we passed over. On the
W., within about one-quarter of a mile, a range of high

* This relation is also given by L. and C. , p. 244.

382 THE CHEYENNE CAMP — THEIR LANGUAGE.

hills runs N, and S. On the E. the plain is more level
for about five miles, when the view is terminated by high
hills, mostly covered with large round stones ; and indeed
the level plains are nearly covered in the same manner. It
is dangerous to chase buffalo, unless both horse and rider
are accustomed to such rough, stony ground.

The camp consisted of about 120 leather tents (exclusive
of small ones, or, as we call them, kitchens), nearly all new
and as white as linen, and pitched with great regularity at
certain distances apart, in the shape of a horseshoe — the
opening or entrance facing N. ; the large open space within
the circle was unencumbered. Beside each large tent was a
small one, which appeared to be the remains of an old one
cut down — that is, the lower parts, having become rotten
and damaged by the weather, had been cut off, reducing the
former size about one-half. Such tents appear to be for the
women's necessary occupations, such as cooking, preparing
meat, dressing leather, etc. The spaces between the tents
were occupied by stages for drying meat, all covered with
buffalo flesh, the people having killed upwards of 200 of
those animals two days ago. The extensive double-row
circle of tents thus joined one another by a barricade of
thinly sliced flesh drying in the sun. The frames for drying
dressed skins and the horse and dog travailles were erected
outside the camp. All the women appeared to be hard at
work, stretching buffalo hides, dressing skins, slicing meat
to dry, and working robes with straw and porcupine quills.

The language of these people, unlike that disagreeably
harsh jargon of the Mandanes, has a pleasant sound. Some
people pretend to say it has some affinity to the Kinisti-
neaux tongue, particularly in the manner of counting from
one to ten, which are nearly the same words ; and it is
supposed they originated from the same stock.^ But of
this I am not a competent judge. My stay among them
was too short and precious to make any inquiries ; all I can

* This is correct ; the Cheyennes are of Algonquian stock, and thus of the
same linguistic family as the Crees : see L. and C, ed. 1893, p. 147.

CHEYENNE TRAITS — GESTURE-SPEECH. 383

pretend to say is, that the Schians formerly resided N. of
the Missourie, on the river that still bears their name, and
empties into Red river below Otter Tail lake. But from
which direction they came to settle on Schian river I can-
not say. They were formerly at peace with the Crees and
Saulteurs, being considered their greatest friends. In gen-
eral the men are tall, stout, and well-proportioned ; their
manners and customs appear to me to be nearly the same
as those of the Sioux of the Plains. We found them much
more cautious than the Big Bellies, or even the Mandanes.
They keep their tents, dishes, and spoons very clean ; the
latter are made out of the horns of the Rocky Mountain
ram. They are much more decent and modest than their
neighbors ; all the men, and even boys, wear breech-clouts.
They are very hard people to trade with. What few beaver
skins they had were purchased without much trouble ; but
grizzly bearskins they value highly, and will take and return
payment ten times before you can get one. It is a very
hard task to deal with them ; all must go by signs, unless
one understands the Assiniboine language, and then he
must get a Sioux to interpret. But some of them under-
stand the Pawnee tongue, and as some of our party spoke
that language, their conversation between one another was
principally by means of an interpreter. The natives them-
selves can very well dispense with that, and communicate
by signs; both parties being so accustomed to this manner
of conversation that they comprehend each other with the
greatest ease. I saw Le Borgne hold a conference with
some of the Schians for more than an hour, during which
not a word was spoken by either party, and all appeared to
comprehend perfectly well every question and answer. The
dress of these people, like that of all other natives of the
plains, consists of leather. Many of the European dresses I
saw were of Spanish manufacture. They generally pass the
winter S. of the Black hills, about 20 encampments hence,
which I suppose may be 80 or 100 leagues. Here, they
say, is the source of two large rivers ; one runs to the N. E.

384 CHEYENNE TRADE — PEACE REIGNS.

and the other to the S. ; the former falls into the Missourie,
below the Pawnee village, I believe, under the name of
Riviere Platte ; the other, of course, into the Gulf of Mex-
ico. Near the sources of these two rivers they make
their annual hunts of bear and beaver, in company with
the Buffalo Indians, or, as some call them, the Cave-
ninavish * tribe, a very numerous nation inhabiting that part
of the country. They consist of about 500 tents. I saw a
few of them in this camp. The Schians, having made their
winter's hunt, move northward. They sometimes dispose
of their skins to the Pawnees and Sioux ; or, if they find
any traders from the Islenois [Illinois river], they deal with
them. They are of a roving disposition, and seldom remain
long in any one spot.

They informed us that last fall two Spaniards came up
the river which runs to the S., in a wooden canoe or a
boat loaded with goods, who passed the winter among
them, disposed of all their property, and sold very cheap,
giving a large double handful of gunpowder and 50 balls
. for one beaver. They told us that by spring the two men
had collected such a quantity of skins that they were
obliged to make another canoe ; and even two could
scarcely contain the packs, with just room for a man to sit
behind to steer.

Affairs went on smoothly, and peace seemed to be set-
tled ; nothing was heard but singing throughout the camp ;
the young men were on horseback, as is a very common
custom among the Missourie tribes. Almost every day,
and particularly toward evening, the young men mount
their horses and parade around the village singing ; some-
times two or three will get upon the same horse to make
their rounds. The women were also busy exchanging their
corn for leather, robes, smocks, and dried provisions, as if
at a country fair. Each one was anxious to dispose of her
property to advantage, and to this end carried a load from

* Kaninaviesch of Lewis and Clark, p. 57 ; Gens des Vaches of the French,
whence the name Buffalo Indians. They are the Arapahoes.

INOPPORTUNE ARRIVAL OF ASSINIBOINES. 385

tent to tent. But the numerous women of our party had
overstocked the market, and many were obliged to keep
half what they had brought, for want of buyers.

Just as the sun was going down, a number of Schians,
Big Bellies, Mandanes, and others suddenly mounted on
horseback, armed cap a pie, and rushed toward the rivulet
N. of the encampment. There a large group soon collected,
some on foot, others on horseback, and showed by their
actions there was some misunderstanding which threat-
ened hostilities. Everything was now in commotion and
confusion — the men arming and saddling their horses ; the
women of our party collecting their horses and preparing
for immediate departure, without any of the howling and
bawling which is so common amongst them when danger
threatens. Everyone exerted herself in sullen silence,
though dismay was painted on every face ; and in a few
moments all were ready to start, should matters appear
more alarming. Le Borgne's wives advised us to saddle
also, and keep ourselves ready to move, in case of necessity.
We accordingly did so, and stood awaiting the event of an
affair which we suspected would end in a fight.

After remaining thus in suspense for some time, we were
informed that the uproar proceeded from the presence of 12
Assiniboines, who, having arrived at the village just after
we had left, and learned that the Big Bellies and Mandanes
were more numerous than the Schians and Sioux, had fol-
lowed our tracks to this camp. The Schians were fully
determined to kill them, as these people are inveterate ene-
mies. But as they came upon our road, and in a manner
under the protection of our party, the latter were resolved
to defend them, let the consequences be what they would.
Le Borgne was one of the first to be informed of their
approach ; and, suspecting what might happen, he instantly
ran out to meet them with his battle-ax in his hand. He
took the chief, old Crane, by the hand, telling him that he
might advance into the camp without fear of danger. The
Schians soon surrounded them, and wished to strike

386 LE borgne's gentle art of peace.

some of the Assiniboines ; but Le Borgne, who was by
this time joined by many of his own people, kept them
at bay by flourishing his battle-ax. He desired them to
desist ; saying that if any of them were imprudent enough
to hurt an Assiniboine whilst under his protection, he might
advance and make the attempt, but the event would show
who would be the most pitiful. Many of our party having
assembled and surrounded the Assiniboines, the Schians
were prevented from approaching within reach. Le Borgne
then ordered his people to clear the way for them to enter
the camp, which was accordingly done, notwithstanding
the Schians were so anxious to oppose it that they offered
Le Borgne five horses, not to interfere in the business.
But he instantly presented these to the Assiniboines, as
a convincing proof of his determination to defend them,
conducted them to our tent, and placed a guard of young
men over them. As our tent was not sufificiently large for
us all, he separated some in other tents, and put a strong
guard over each of them for the night. The Schians
appeared enraged, and their chiefs made continual rounds
on horseback, haranguing in their own language, whilst
the principal men of our party did the same. The uproar
did not cease until dark, when matters appeared to be
somewhat more settled ; some of those who had before
appeared most vexed came into our tent and smoked with
our great men for some time ; but the countenances of
both parties betrayed the inward working of their minds,
and it was evident that they were not pleased or even sat-
isfied with each other. They often attempted to force a
smile, but the expression was sinister.

Soon after the uproar had abated, Le Borgne sent orders
for the women to unload and turn out their horses to feed.
He had also desired us to unload and make ourselves
easy, for as long as he could hold his battle-ax we had
nothing to dread from the Schians ; but he told us to tie
our horses near the tent, and to be ready at a moment's
warning in case of a surprise, as he was uncertain how

THE GREAT MAN RAGES PRUDENTLY. 387

matters might turn out. He then mounted and rode round
camp at full speed, haranguing his people to the same pur-
pose ; he also forbade anyone to depart, as many of the
women desired to take advantage of the darkness to escape
from a place where they feared death.

About ten o'clock a young man came into our tent to
inform Le Borgne that the Schians had stolen some of the
Mandanes' horses, and that the latter had declared that, if
the horses were not returned immediately, they would retal-
iate. This alleged insult added fuel to the flames ; our
great man got up in a rage and went out to inquire into
the affair, declaring that if this report proved to be true, he
would instantly spread death and destruction through the
camp. He desired us to be in readiness to depart ; but the
night was so dark we could scarcely distinguish our own
horses from others ; and to adjust our saddles and baggages
was almost impossible. While we were collecting our things,
he returned and informed us that all was again quiet ; that
it was some of our own party who had taken the horses to
go after others that had strayed, and that all had been
found. Thus our minds were once more at ease, after a
very disagreeable suspense. Still, we apprehended further
disturbances, as we overheard Rattlesnake and some other
resolute fellows declare vengeance on those dogs, as they
termed the Schians, and they were only prevented from
committing some rash action by Le Borgne. He is cer-
tainly a man of great prudence and circumspection ; he
never allows himself to be transported into such a passion
as might commit him to any rash action ; he does every-
thing in a composed, deliberate, and cool manner. A fight
on this occasion would not have been on fair terms, as the
Schians, Sioux, and Buffalo Indians had only about 200
men, ill provided with fire-arms and ammunition, whereas
our party mustered about 500 men, all well armed. Many
of them had two guns and plenty of ammunition, as they
had declined to part with those articles until we should be
ready to depart, when they proposed to exchange them for

388 CEREMONY OF ADOPTION.

horses. We passed an uncomfortable night ; the Assini-
boines were crowded in the same tent with us, and we were
convinced that, should any disturbance take place, our tent
would be the first attacked.

July 2^th. At daybreak all were on the alert. I made
several turns about camp, to observe what was going on,
and entered some tents where I had been kindly received
and well entertained, but found a great change in the phys-
iognomy of these people ; all were silent and sullen.
None invited us into their tents as we passed ; all turned
their heads, and pretended not to see us.

At eight o'clock the preparations commenced for Le
Borgne to adopt a son among the Schians. This ceremony
is generally considered conclusive of peace among the dif-
ferent nations in these parts. The affair went on very
slowly, and it was not without many speeches, smoking-
matches, and persuasive arguments, that the medicine-tent
was prepared. The Schians appeared very backward,
indeed, and at first would neither bring tents enough to
form the circle, nor lend a hand to erect them, while our
party appeared very anxious to forward the business.
After many obstacles had been surmounted the circle was
formed with six leather tents, opening to the N. At nine
o'clock the ceremony began by three of Le Borgne's prin-
cipal mishinaways,' or secretaries, taking their seats in the
center of the tent which faced the open space. One of
them. Two Crows, with great ceremony and many gri-
maces, untied the pipe-stem, adjusted the feathers, hairs,
etc., and displayed it on a fathom of red strouds, whilst the
other two secretaries were busy singing, one beating a drum,
and the other keeping time with a rattle made of cabbrie
hoofs. The stem being thus displayed, old General Choke-
cherry, who was sure to make himself busy upon every

' Or machmaway — one who attends another in any capacity. " The Mach-
inaway du Chien Fou and associate came in," McDonnell in Masson, I. p. 286,
where the editor notes " aide-de-camp, companion, attendant, sometimes
brother."

FILIAL AND PATERNAL REGARDS. 389

occasion, posted himself in front of the hut and uttered a
long oration, inviting everybody to the ceremony. Many
of our party accordingly took their seats on each side of
the stem, but not a Schian or Sioux came near us. The
singing recommenced, and continued for some time, after
which the secretaries rose up from their seats ; one of them,
taking up the stem, marched off with it, dancing as he went
to the drum and rattle, which the others sounded close
behind him. One of them carried on his back a bull's
head, whose nostrils and eyes were stuffed with hay. Next
came a young man leading three horses, and after him a
great crowd of our party, merely as spectators. They
directed their course to the tent of the Schian whom Le
Borgne intended to adopt, where the bearer of the stem
danced for a few moments. Then one of the elder Big
Bellies widened the door by pulling out the pegs from
above and below ; the three secretaries entered ; and, after
dancing before the intended son, who held down his head
in a very sullen manner, presented him with the stem and
rattle. At first he decUned it, nor would he accept it for
some time, but after a long conversation with his own
people, he at last took it in a careless manner, and ap-
parently much against his inclination. Le Borgne, who
sat in the tent during all this part of the ceremony, wrapped
up in an American flag, said not a word, but cast many a
sardonic grin at his adopted son. At its conclusion he
arose, and wrapped the flag around the adopted son, giving
into his hand the three cords which tied the three horses at
the door, which the Schian instantly handed to his wife.
Le Borgne then took him by one arm, and Chief of the
Wolves held him by the other; they thus raised him gently
from the ground, and conducted him to the medicine tent,
attended by the three secretaries with their music. On their
arrival he was placed in the center, opposite the fathom
of red strouds, holding the stem in his right hand ; Le
Borgne was seated on his right hand, and Chief of the
Wolves on his left ; near them were the three secretaries,

390 VALUABLE CONSIDERATIONS.

who continued to sing and shake the rattle ; the bull's head
was placed opposite the cloth and son. The Big Bellies
brought in some ammunition, and laid it upon the strouds ;
the son was directed to lay the stem over these articles,
which he did accordingly. Our old general was again
posted opposite the entrance of the shelter, where he was
fully employed in his usual vocation of haranguing, inviting
everyone to bring something to put under the stem. But
all his eloquence was in vain ; not a Schian came forward
until some of their old men had gone the rounds making long
speeches, when a few of the Schians appeared with some
garnished robes and dressed leather, which were spread on
the ground near the bull's head, which was then laid upon
the heap. The Big Bellies next brought two guns, which
they placed under the stem. The Schians put another
robe or two under the bull's head. Our party were each
time more ready to come forward with their property than
the others were with theirs. The latter next brought some
old, scabby, sore-backed horses for the bull's head. This
compliment was returned by our party with corn, beans,
ammunition, and a gun. General Chokecherry grew impa-
tient, and reproached the Schians in a very severe and harsh
manner for their mean and avaricious manner of dealing,
in bringing forward their trash and rotten horses, saying
that the Big Bellies were ready to give good guns and
ammunition, but expected to receive good horses in return.
In answer to this they were given to understand by the
Schians that they must first put all their guns and
ammunition under the stem, immediately after which the
Schians, in their turn, would bring in good horses. As it
was never customary in an affair of this kind for either
party to particularize the articles to be brought to the stem
or bull's head, but for everyone to contribute what he
pleased of the best he had, this proposal induced our party
to suspect the Schians had planned to get our firearms and
ammunition into their own possession, that they might be
a match for us, and commence hostilities. To prevent this.

BAD BUSINESS AND WORSE BEVERAGE. 391

no more guns or ammunition were brought forward, and
the Schians were told they must first produce some of their
best horses; but to this they would not listen. After a
few more trifles had been given in on both sides, the busi-
ness came to a stand-still on the part of the Schians, who
retired to their tents.

It was about 3 p. m. when affairs thus assumed a gloomy
aspect; harangues were made through the camp by both
parties, evidently not of a very amiable nature; frequent
menaces were made by our party, and the other as often
retorted. The ceremony was totally neglected and every-
body left the spot. The adopted son went sullenly to
his own tent ; horses were collected on both sides ; every-
one was surly and gloomy ; silence reigned throughout the
camp, only broken by the neighing of horses and some few
orations ; the weather was hot and sultry. Water was only
to be got at some distance, and was very filthy, both rivu-
lets being dry except in stagnant puddles full of dung and
urine, where hundreds of horses had been drinking and roll-
ing. The impracticability of procuring any other had
obliged us to use this water; but at this critical moment we
could get none, as we did not think it prudent to separate
from our main body to such a distance. I entered several
tents, but in vain. I saw water in bladders and paunches,
but it was refused me. At one time I caught hold of a
bladder and a ram's horn to satisfy my thirst, but both were
snatched away by one of the women, who were as sulky and
sullen as the men. I was exasperated and choking with
thirst, when I met a woman with a bladder full of this filthy
beverage. Without any ceremony or asking her permission,
as I was certain she would refuse me, I jerked the bladder
out of her hands, cut a hole in it, and took a copious
draught of the contents, which consisted of equal parts of
horse dung, urine, and stagnant water. The woman made
several unsuccessful attempts to recover the bladder, but I
kept hold until my companions were fully satisfied also.

During this affray Le Borgne had been to the center of

392 TUMULTUOUS TERMINATION OF THE TREATY.

the camp and made a long speech, at the end of which he
ordered all hands, men and women, to saddle and load in-
stantly; but most of them were already prepared to depart,
and only awaited his orders to march. The sun was about
an hour high, when, in the greatest hurry, bustle, and con-
fusion, the women saddled and loaded their horses as fast
as possible, and began to file off by the route we came.
By this time the men had become still more excited ; every-
one was armed and on horseback, with a ball in his mouth ;
haranguing went on throughout the camp ; the horses were
neighing and prancing impatiently, and instant battle
threatened.

The women being all at some distance, Le Borgne ordered
the men off and desired us to keep close by him. We all
moved in a body, without any regular form of marching, and
our horses at a slow walk. We were accompanied by the
main body of the Schians, who mixed with our party and
did not appear in the least afraid of our superior numbers,
but with fierce countenances rode up to the most tumult-
uous of our party and vociferated to them with many signifi-
cant signs and gestures. We really expected every moment
to see some of them strike a fatal blow, and thus precipitate
the conflict, as they certainly pushed our party to the last
extremity. I could not help admiring the conduct of our
commander-in-chief, Le Borgne ; in all this tumult he said
very little, and appeared quite unconcerned ; but I observed
he was always upon his guard, and that no Schian person-
ally insulted him.

I was anxious to purchase one of their horses which had
struck my fancy ; he was a beautiful pied stallion four years
old, the most spirited and swiftest beast I ever saw in the
North West. The owner had promised him to me at the
high price I offered, but as several Big Bellies also wanted
him, and the owner wished to prevent jealousy, he desired
me to keep up the payment until the moment I left, when
he would deliver the horse. During the commotion in
camp I went to him with my goods and demanded the

THREATENED RUPTURE OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. 393

horse, but he would not listen to me. One of the Big Belly
war chiefs had offered him one of his wives, two horses, and
the value of 50 skins in goods, but in vain. I met the fellow
on this horse, and proposed once more to bargain, offering
him the value of 100 skins in prime goods and my own
horse ; but he would not even return me an answer.

Having reached the eminence whence we had first seen
the Schian camp we stopped, and formed into line abreast.
Here both parties again disputed and argued with each
other until many worked themselves up into such a frenzy
as to foam at the mouth, especially the Schians, who ap-
peared quite undaunted, and, I believe, would have fought
like heroes. It was surprising to see what expert horse-
men these people are ; the agility of the beasts and the
dexterity of the riders were astonishing. We proceeded,
and soon overtook the women ; when, observing the enemy
still on the hill, in a menacing position, orders were given
to halt. The women with the pack horses were placed in
the center, and a large body of men were stationed around
them as a guard. Le Borgne, accompanied by a large
party, well armed, with their guns loaded and fresh primed,
and balls in their mouths, returned to the Schians, who
awaited their approach. We remained in suspense for
some time, observing the motions of Le Borgne and his
party, whom we every moment expected to see engaged in
battle ; but, after a short conference with the enemy, they
returned, having, as they said, frightened the Schians back
to camp.

Orders were given to push on with all speed possible,
and instantly obeyed. Old men dispersed throughout the
party, haranguing and encouraging the women to drive on
fast, whilst young men were dispatched in every direction
upon the hills to see that we were not surrounded. Thus
we continued on our march until dark, when orders were
given to halt and camp for the night. We found plenty of
excellent water, which both men and beasts greatly needed,
and I found it the pleasantest cordial I ever tasted.

394 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

Le Borgne told us " the reason why he did not wish to
push the affair to extremities was the great number of
women and children who accompanied us, most of whom
would have been destroyed ; but he declared he would be
revenged upon the Schians for the manner in which they
had slighted his medicine stem. He directed his women to
form a kind of intrenchment with his baggage and saddles,
inside of which we slept with him and them. He desired
us to fresh prime our guns, examine the flints, and be
ready to fire at a moment's warning. He also ordered a
number of young men to surround and watch the camp
during the night. Everyone slept with his arms beside
him. As our horses were tied at our feet, we were every
moment in danger of being trampled ; but as we were
entirely free from mosquitoes, or any kind of troublesome
flies, the horses were quiet. The poor beasts had eaten
little for some days ; they devoured the grass, which
was of an excellent kind for them, upon this spot. Le
Borgne had four mules, which were vicious brutes ; when
any other animal came near, they brayed and kicked enough
to alarm the whole camp. The noise those animals kept
up all night was hideous.

I could not but reflect upon the great fuss and uproar I
had witnessed, and was surprised that it ceased without
bloodshed. These people are certainly clamorous and
noisy upon the most trifling occasion, and one unaccus-
tomed to them would imagine every moment they were

* As bearing on this statement I may cite C. McKenzie in Masson, /. c, p. 391:
" The Gros Ventres and Mandans having collected on an eminence or rising
ground above the camp, we all made a halt, and while we were preparing for
the worse, the Borgne, who was on foot, came to Mr. Chaboillez saying : ' My
equal, lend me your horse that I may go and speak to those dogs and know
whether they prefer peace to war.' Mr. Chaboillez did not relish the idea of
parting with a famous runner at this time, but the Borgne pressed him in a
commanding voice to obey. While Mr. Chaboillez was taking the saddle off
the horse, I asked the Borgne if they were to fight. ' My son,' said he, ' we
have too many children and women here to commence hostilities ourselves, but,
if we are attacked, we must not flinch.' "

SACRIFICIAL SOAKING OF A HIDE. 395

going to be at loggerheads. But many such affairs
end in vociferation. Certainly some other nations, such,
for instance, as the Saulteurs, would not have made half
so much noise before beginning a battle.

July 26th. During the night we had a terrible storm of
thunder, lightning, and torrents of rain, which ceased at
sunrise, but not until every one of us was wet to the skin ;
the men's robes and leggings, and the women's shifts, were
in a sad state. Soon after the rain ceased a tremen-
dous pelting and beating commenced, which at a distance
might have been taken for several hundred men threshing
wheat. This operation over, all the leather articles were
well rubbed with white clay, which, I am told, prevents them
from getting stiff or hard in drying ; for this purpose they
always carry some of this clay with them.

This morning early Le Borgne employed one of his
principal secretaries to make a long speech, advising the
people of his intention of sacrificing to the waters a white
buffalo hide — an article of the highest value and estimation
among them. The speech being concluded, five of his
principal war chiefs and great men took up the hide with
great ceremony, and carried it to the rivulet near which we
had camped. Having searched out the deepest spot, they
put the hide in the water, and sunk it to the bottom with
large stones. During this ceremony our old general stood
on the bank, making a long harangue. I could not learn
the particular reason for this sacrifice, or the substance of
the oration, as our interpreter was absent in search of his
horse, that had broken loose during the night.

This affair being over, and the weather clear, Le Borgne
directed our old general to make a speech, in which march-
ing orders were given. Everyone was soon ready, and we
started pell-mell. Our progress was much more expeditious
than before ; no further ceremony was made, either to halt,
smoke, or anything else. We pushed on with all haste
until eight o'clock, when the rain began again to pour down
hard ; orders to halt were given, and instantly obeyed.

39^ all's well that ends well.

But in about an hour the storm was over, and for the last
time orders were given to load and proceed. As there was
no further danger of the Schians pursuing us, everyone
went as he pleased, and we were soon divided into more
than 200 parties, dispersed over the plains and hills in
every direction. Le Borgne desired us to keep near him
and his party, which was the most numerous. At ten
o'clock we came to the Wolf's Tent, which some of us
ascended on horseback, whence we had a delightful view of
the country, and of the different parties on their way home-
ward— the Mandanes keeping eastward, the Big Bellies
westward, and the Saulteurs [Souliers] northward.

At some distance to the N. E., we observed a herd of
buflalo, which being signaled to a party passing below us,
in an instant upward of 50 horsemen were in pursuit. Here
we dried our cloaks, robes, and blankets, and then pushed
on to overtake the hunting party, who had killed a great
many, and were well loaded with flesh. We soon after
came to a brook that emptied into Knife river, where we
found a few stunted willows, and saw that many of the Big
Bellies had stopped to light a fire and turn their horses
out to feed. We also halted, as ours stood in great need of
refreshment, too, and we ourselves had eaten nothing but a
few raw meadow-turnips since the first meal we made at the
Schians' camp. We found some difificulty in procuring
anything from those avaricious Big Bellies, who set more
value upon a piece of fresh meat than they do on a beaver
or bear skin. We wished to buy a few pounds to roast,
but they would dispose of none, and had it not been that
Le Borgne joined us, we would not have got one mouthful.
When he came up and his women unloaded their horses
and mules, he was presented with some meat, which they
roasted, or rather warmed, for it was positively raw when
he invited us to eat. In payment for this he made no
scruple of accepting the contents of our powder-horns and
shot-bags, and even begged some tobacco. This repast of
raw flesh cost us each, according to the valuation of prop-

EXCEPT THE BILL OF FARE. 397

erty in those parts, two skins, or 12 livres North West cur-
rency, making 24 livres Quebec currency, or one pound
HaHfax currency. Here I observed the filthy manners of
these people in feasting on the raw entrails of buffalo. The
paunch, liver, kidneys, fat, testicles, gristle, marrow-bones,-
and several other pieces, they hand about and devour like
famished wolves, whilst blood and dung stream down from
their mouths ; it was disgusting to see them.

We remained here but a short time, when we saddled and
proceeded alone, directing our course toward the Mandane
village, heartily glad to get rid of those disagreeable, selfish,
haughty Big Bellies, who from the place we left them went
down Knife river to their own villages. We overtook a
Big Belly with a horse-load of buffalo meat, and proposed
to purchase some ; but the old man was loath to sell any ;
however, our ammunition tempted him, and for the value of
six skins he consented to let us have the two placottes.
These we instantly threw on a horse and sent off, whilst I
remained to make payment. Having received it, and held
a consultation with his wife, the old man wanted to return
the ammunition and take back the meat ; but it was gone
too far. He grumbled so much that we gave him a few
inches of tobacco, which seemed to please him, and then
rode away.

CHAPTER XI.

FROM THE MANDANS TO PEMBINA: 1806.

^1 T five o'clock we reached the great Mandane village
^^ safe, and found our people anxiously waiting for us ;
they had received intelligence of the misunderstanding
among the Schians, and as we had not kept company with
the Mandanes, they feared some accident had happened us.
They now informed us that during our absence a party of
30 Rocky Mountain Indians of the Crow nation had arrived
with their families at the Big Bellies' villages, with a great
number of horses, and some skins, furs, and slaves, to barter
for guns, ammunition, tobacco, axes, etc., as those people
have no other means of procuring European articles. Some
of them, indeed, go toward the Spanish settlements with
the Flatheads ; but what they get in that way is too trifling
to answer their purposes. They brought word that the
American party of Captains Lewis and Clark had ascended
the Missourie, crossed the Rocky Mountains, and fallen
upon a large river which they supposed would conduct
them to the ocean. They also informed us that these gen-
tlemen had had trouble with the Snake, Flathead, and
Oreille [Nez] Perce nations, who inhabit the Rocky Mount-
ains.' My kind landlord asked me where I had left his
young wife, and, on my informing him that I had not seen
her, excepting once in the Schian camp, he appeared
displeased, and reproached me for neglecting her.

' A sample of the way rumor flew in those days, and lost all semblance of fact
in its flight. Needless to say, L. and C. had no trouble with any of the
Indians named; and Captain Lewis' brush with the Blackfeet on Maria's river
did not take place till July 27th, the day after that whose incidents Henry is
narrating. By "Oreille Perce" of the above passage I presume we are to
understand Nez Perce, or Chopunnish, as L. and C. did not meet with the
Pend d'Oreilles.

398

ROCKY MOUNTAIN CROWS AND FLATHEADS. 399

Smiday, July 2yth. Early this morning we mounted and
went to the other village to see the Crows. It was disgust-
ing to see how those impious vagabonds, the Big Bellies,
keep those poor inoffensive Crows in subjection, making
their own price for horses and everything else ; nor will
they allow a stranger to give the Crows the real value of
their commodities ; the price once fixed by those scoundrels,
they permit no one to give more. By this means they gen-
erally get whatever is brought into their villages, and then
sell out to strangers for double what it cost them. To-day
we were continually watched and attended by Rattlesnake,
who frequently threatened that, if we purchased a horse
from the Crows for more than the Big Bellies offered, he
would take it from us and keep it himself. The Crows had
a handsome slave girl, about 12 years of age, who was
ofTered to us for a gun, 100 balls, and powder enough to
fire them ; but those rascally Big Bellies would not allow
us to purchase her, saying they wanted her for themselves.
The language of the Crows is nearly the same as the Big
Bellies' ; there is also a great similitude between those two
nations in manners, customs, and dress. They have the
character of a brave and warlike people ; though obliged to
put up with many insults from the people here, they have
been repeatedly at war with the latter, and on many occa-
sions have displayed dauntless spirit. I am informed they
are much addicted to unnatural and beastly lusts, and have
no scruple in satisfying their desires with their mares and
wild animals fresh killed.

A few Flatheads accompanied the Crows. This nation
also inhabits the Rocky Mountains, but more to the S.
Their language is entirely different from any others we have
heard. It is supposed by some who have long resided in this
country that originally the Crows, Big Bellies, Mandanes,
Saulteurs [Souliers], and Sioux were the same people, and
that they came from Mexico. Of the difference between the
languages of the two first named tribes there is no doubt ;
I am told that in the tongues of the two next there is some

400 MISSOURI RIVER WATER.

resemblance, and the same is the case with the Sioux
language ; furthermore, there are in Mexico many original
names of places and towns which are similar to several
words in all the above languages. The Pawnees must be
considered a distinct nation [middle group of Caddoan
family], their language being totally different.

We remained with the Crows till nearly sunset, when we
returned to our quarters, more disgusted with those rascally
Big Bellies than ever. The weather was hot and sultry
during our stay at those villages, which gave us a perpetual
thirst. The quantity of water we drank was astonishing ;
at first we disliked the looks of it, and could scarcely taste
it ; but we were obliged to use it, and soon found it palata-
ble. The water of the Missourie is so impregnated with
earth, as the rapidity of the current washes away the shores
and turns up the mud from the very bottom, that a stranger
would scarcely venture to drink it ; but the continual use
the inhabitants make of it without any bad consequences
proves it is not pernicious to the constitution. In the
winter, and sometimes in the fall during a very dry season,
when the water is not so terribly thick, it is not to the liking
of the natives, and they frequently mix a certain quantity of
clay with the water they drink. In the spring, when the ice
drifts down, the water is very thick and muddy, and quite
to their taste. When put into a vessel and allowed to settle
during the night, in a two-gallon pot there is one inch of
sediment, even at this season, when it is called clear.

July 28th. We settled accounts with our host, and paid
some young men to ferry us over the river and attend our
horses. We also paid some women for preparing provision
for our homeward journey ; this was principally parched
corn pounded into flour, mixed with a small portion of fat,
and made up into balls about the size of an ^%'g. These
may be eaten as they are, or boiled for a short time ; the
latter method we found most wholesome. At ten o'clock
we were ready to bid adieu to the S. side of the Missourie,
and glad to get away from such a set of hypocrites. At the

SPEEDING THE PARTING GUESTS. 4OI

head of the gang is that old sneaking cheat Mons. Jussaume,
whose character is more despicable than the worst among
the natives. While saddling our horses we found them very-
troublesome, and they attempted to steal everything they
could lay their hands on ; even our stirrups tempted them.
They pillaged us of a broad girth in a very daring manner,
while we were actually standing near our own horses ; it dis-
appeared in a moment among the crowd and could not be
found again. They appeared eager also to have the two
European saddles and bridles which belonged to Mr. Cha-
boillez and myself ; and, had a favorable opportunity pre-
sented, would have stolen them. But our landlord, Le
Grand, and his family were very attentive in watching our
property to prevent it being stolen ; nor did their kindness
end there. He insisted on crossing me over the river him-
self, and with the assistance of his young wife and his sons
he saw all my little baggage safely delivered on the N. side ;
he even took the trouble to give my horse into my own
hands. The whole family shook my hand in a very friendly
manner, made me understand that if ever I came this way
again I must take up my lodgings in their hut, and then
returned to their village.

At three o'clock we were all safely lodged in Black Cat's
hut, whom we found as usual very civil and complaisant,
although he plainly saw we had nothing to pay him for his
trouble. This man is one of the best Indians we met on the
Missourie. We found what articles we had left in his
charge all in good order, and carefully hung up to keep
them from the mice. He even gave me his best horse upon
credit; payment to be sent this fall by any opportunity.
This was considered an extraordinary circumstance for a
Mandane. He gave us several instances of his good nature
and generosity while we were packing ; every assistance in
his power he gave us, without any expectation of payment.
Being almost entirely destitute of tobacco for our journey,
he gave us some of their own manufacture. As that herb
is not yet arrived at maturity, they use only the blossoms

402 POOR TOBACCO— UPROAR — MOSQUITOES.

at present. These are collected as required, dried before
the fire on a fragment of an earthen pot, and smoked by all
the natives. But I find the flowers a very poor substitute
for our own tobacco — a nauseous, insipid weed. The ripe
leaf is somewhat better, but even that is mere trash, pos-
sessed of neither strength nor virtue.

This afternoon the Assiniboines, old Crane and his party,
left on their return home to their camp at Moose mountain,
all provided with horses, loaded with corn. Not long after-
ward a Mandane who was sitting on his hut looking out,
as they usually do, hallooed that the Assiniboines were
stealing horses belonging to the white people — which, of
course, were ours. In an instant the village was in an
uproar; a number of armed men on horseback went in pur-
suit, with Black Cat at their head, declaring he would bring
the scalp of the thief. They were absent about an hour,
when they returned and informed us that they had over-
taken the supposed thief ; he proved to be a Big Belly who,
a few days ago, had a quarrel with a Mandane, and the
latter, on leaving the village of the former, had brought off
one of their horses, the owner of which had sent a young
man for him.

We had a heavy fall of rain during the night, and our
worst enemies, the mosquitoes, were more numerous than
ever. We had flattered ourselves that the season for
those infernal insects was nearly over ; but they annoyed
us sorely this evening. We procured the use of an empty
hut, into which our horses were put for the night ; but long
before day the flies so tormented them that they broke
down the barrier at the door, and ran off to the woods.
We searched for them in vain ; the darkness, rain, and
mosquitoes soon obliged us to give up the chase and
return to the hut, where we passed the remainder of the
night in great anxiety, fearing the Assiniboines might
return and steal the horses before they could be collected
in the morning.

July 2gth. Daybreak brought rain and swarms of mos-

FINAL ADIEU TO THE MANDANS. 403

quitoes ; however, with the kind assistance of our landlord,
who sent out young men, we recovered all our horses.
During this time some of our party were snoring as con-
tentedly as if their horses had been tied in the hut. At
ten o'clock the rain ceased and the weather cleared up ; we
lost no time in saddling, loading, and taking leave of our
host, to whom we gave what ammunition we could spare,
for which he was very thankful, although it was a trifle.

We soon after took the road, bidding a final adieu to the
Mandanes. The road through the wood was very muddy
and bad. We found amazing quantities of poires, perfectly
ripe. The natives here are so surrounded by their different
enemies at all seasons, and particularly when the fruit is
ripe, that the women dare not leave the villages to gather
it, though there is a great plenty of chokecherries, cerises,
etc. Even when they go out to hoe their corn, young
men, well armed, keep on the rounds at short distances
from the women to prevent surprise from an enemy.
This is a necessary precaution, as they have frequently
been attacked while working in the fields. The village
on the N. side lies under a double disadvantage, sur-
rounded by thick woods for nearly two miles upon the
land side, and having close by a vast quantity of young
sprouts and brushwood, enabling an enemy to approach
very near without being discovered. A single Sioux has
been known to secrete himself for several days among those
bushes until a favorable opportunity has offered, when he
has dispatched a Mandane, and got away with the scalp.

At twelve o'clock we came opposite the upper Big Belly
village, where we found Messrs. McKenzie^and Caldwell
waiting for us. They had just got over, accompanied by Le

• " I did not wish to leave the Missurie so soon," says C. McKenzie, /. c, p.
393, "but Messrs. Chaboillez and Henry pressed me so that I left, after hav-
ing disposed of the rest of my goods for some beavers brought me by some
Rocky Mountain Indians during the night. Next morning, I crossed the
Missurie with six horses well loaded and two light to carry myself and Mr.
Caldwell. I was not a little proud when I considered that I was the first
North trader who crossed the Missurie with four packs of beaver."

404 EXCELLENT ADVICE OF HIS EXCELLENCY.

Borgne and two of his wives ; he was gone himself in pur-
suit of a bull on the adjacent hills. Here we unloaded
and gave our horses some time to feed and rest. His
Excellency soon arrived, attended by one of his young
men with the flesh of the animal, which he immediately
ordered his women to cook. When it was done according
to their taste he presented it to us ; we found it too raw
for our stomachs ; but tasted it out of complaisance, after
which he and his young men dispatched the whole. His
women were very troublesome ; they fancied everything of
ours they cast their eyes on, and were not very nice in
asking us to give to them our saddle-cloths, blankets,
cloaks, and everything else they so ardently desired. This
occasioned us to hasten our departure, and at two o'clock
we bid a last adieu to his Excellency. Le Borgne gave us
a cordial shake of the hand, and advised us to be upon our
guard, as the time was nearly arrived when the Sioux fre-
quented those parts, as they could subsist on berries, the
corn would soon be fit to steal during the night, and by
these means of maintaining themselves they might lie for
many days in wait for any small party to leave the village.
He told us by all means to make a long circuit west-
ward, be continually upon the lookout, and not allow our-
selves to be surprised by an enemy, as we must expect no
quarter. We bade him farewell, and for my part I wished
never to see this great man again, or any of his clan ; I was
heartily tired of them all, and much relieved by the pros-
pect of traveling at my own free will and pleasure, no
longer subject to the caprice of those mercenary savages.
We proceeded on our journey by the same route we
came, along the bank of the river. Our party consisted of
lo men and 25 horses, forming a cavalcade which at a dis-
tance looked quite respectable, and might deter an enemy
from attacking us, unless they were very strong. Our real
strength was slight, having only three guns and a pair of pis-
tols among us all, and a scant supply of ammunition. We
soon came to the heights of Snake Lodge, where we turned

EN ROUTE DE RETOUR. 405

our backs to the Missourie, and directed our course N.,
intending thus to shorten our journey, although this route
was more dangerous than the way we came. At five
o'clock we camped on the upper part of Riviere Bourbeuse
[Miry, now Snake, creek], which at this place is nothing
more than a rivulet, with a very good crossing on a fine
sandy bottom. Here we found an immense quantity of
poires ; the branches were too heavily loaded to support
their burdens, and many were lying upon the ground. We
collected a good stock of buffalo dung to make a fire ;
it was very damp, and only emitted a hot smoke, but
answered our purpose, as we had a kettle and thus cooked
our victuals easily. We tied our horses close and kept
watch during the night, as we dreaded the Assiniboines,
who passed this morning and knew very well when we
intended to set off. Early in the evening a pleasant cool
breeze sprang up, which kept down the mosquitoes and
gave us the most comfortable night since we left Riviere la
Souris. The only cause for anxiety was that the Assini-
boines might steal our horses,

July ^oth. We had so many horses to load it took a
long time before we could get ready to depart. We held
the same N. course as yesterday. We found much water
in the plains ; in every low spot our horses were up to their
bellies. We could go no faster than a walk ; the heavy
burdens of our horses prevented our pushing on as fast as
we could have wished ; each carried upward of two hundred
weight, excepting those we rode, which had each about 50
pounds. The country is hilly, but not so stony as on the
route we came ; and toward the E. we saw no stones at all.
The hills and their declivities appeared quite naked, with
here and there a bull, grazing unmolested.

At five o'clock we came to a small lake on which grew
brushwood and poiriers [pear trees literally, but here mean-
ing the service-berry tree, Amelanchier canadensis, or its
western form, A. alnifolia, whose fruit the voyageurs called
poires, and] whose branches were loaded with fruit ; the

406 ON THE COTEAU NEAR THE DOG DEN.

shore was a beautiful white sand and gravel. Here we
stopped for the night. I took a walk up to the top of a
high hill on the N. W. side of the lake, whence I could dis-
cern with the naked eye the heights of Loge de Serpent,
not less than 15 leagues distant.

July jist. It rained hard last night, and continued this
morning with a thick fog and a strong S. E. wind, which
kept down the mosquitoes. I had been unwell all night,
and found myself no better this morning. We sheltered
ourselves as best we could from the rain, and passed the
day. I continued unwell all day and night.

Friday, Aug. ist. Rain and fog until ten o'clock, when
the weather cleared up. I was scarcely able to keep my
seat on horseback. At eleven o'clock we were under way,
keeping our course still N. At three o'clock we came to
the ridge of high land,' which runs from E. to W., and sep-
arates the waters between the Missourie and Riviere la
Souris. This ridge adjoins the Dog's House, which we
could plainly see about three leagues eastward — supposed
to be the highest hill for many miles. It stands nearly due
S. from the S. E. bend or elbow of Riviere la Souris, and
may be seen at a considerable distance. We could also
discern the banks of that river to the N. about five leagues
distant ; and had the weather been clear, doubtless we
could have distinguished the Snake's Lodge, which bears S.
about 20 leagues. By what idea I can foriri of the country,

3 Henry has been holding about N. since he left the Missouri, and is con-
siderably E. of the roundabout route by which he reached that river at the
mouth of Riviere Bourbeuse, or Miry cr. The " ridge of high land " on which
which he now stands is the Coteau du Missouri, separating the watershed of
the latter from that of Mouse r., as he says. The Dog's House of which he
speaks is that high hill on the Mouse river side of the Coteau, already noted on
p. 316, q. V. I find it clearly displayed on Twining's reconnaissance map No.
IV., lettered " Dog's Den." The trail from Fort Stevenson to Fort Totten
(on Devil's 1.) passes about 8 m. S. of the Den. Henry being, as he says, on
the Coteau, 3 leagues E. of the Dog's House, and about 5 leagues S. of the
bight of Mouse r., is in the immediate vicinity of Sabine Spring, from which
Sabine cr. flows due E. into Mouse r. This direct route Henry is pursuing to
the Assiniboine is dotted on Clark's map of 1814.

THUNDER SHOWER — BELLOWING BULLS. 407

this lower route to the Missourie is by far more dangerous
than that by which we went. Our track is now on the
Sioux frontiers, and should they fall in with us, we could
expect no mercy, as they have never been known to give
any quarter to white people in this country. By the upper
route there is nothing to dread but horses being stolen by
•the Assiniboines, and we run the same risk by this lower
road, as Indians are continually going to and from the
Missourie, who steal horses wherever they can. Having
rested, we pushed forward on a gradual descent ; our road
now lay through a delightful part of the country, level, but
elevated, intercepted by small round hillocks in the shape
of sugar loaves, some of which are of a considerable height,
and covered with herds of bufTalo. We also had in view in
our front, and upon our right and left, several small rivu-
lets, whose banks in some places were covered with stunted
willows and poire bushes, the branches of which were
loaded with fruit at full maturity.

At five o'clock, just as we were directing our course
toward a clump of small trees which grew on one of those
brooks, we were overtaken by a thunder shower, with a
gale of wind from the E. Our baggage and clothing were
soon soaked, and our horses turned tail to the wind, in
spite of beating and driving. We could not make them
face the storm ; they would only drift with the wind.
We, therefore, halted, but did not unload till the fury of
the storm was over, when we directed our course to the
wood, where we arrived about dark, everything drenched
and uncomfortable. The buffalo, now at the height of
the rutting season, kept bellowing all night. During
this season they are in continual motion day and night,
scarcely allowing themselves time to feed ; several herds
passed quite near our camp, bellowing and tearing up the
ground. The bulls at this period are very fierce ; they
often turn upon a man and pursue him for some distance.
The noise of those animals made our horses very uneasy.
At every bellow they were startled, and ran toward us as

408 STORM-BOUND— MOUSE RIVER CROSSED.

far as their lines would allow. We were anxious lest their
fetters might give way, as, if any went astray, it would not
be easy to find them amongst such numerous herds of
buffalo. We had some hunters that did not mind the noise
in the least, except to prick up their ears and appear eager
for the chase.

Atig: 2d. The storm continued, inducing us to lie quiet'
for the day. We shot some buffalo and brought in plenty
of good meat.

Sunday, Aug. ^d. The rain having ceased, we loaded,
and began our march. At ten o'clock, after having
ascended and descended many hills and dales, and crossed
three small rivulets, we came to Riviere la Souris, which
runs here from E. to W.; * the water was very high. We
waded through up to the armpits, carrying our baggage on
our heads, at the shallowest place we could find. Having
got everything over by repeated trips, we untied and spread
out our baggage to dry, which kept us here until late in the
afternoon. The place where we forded the river is about
lo leagues lower down than where we crossed it in going
to the Missourie ; it is pleasantly lined with large wood of
almost every kind this part of the country produces ; and
is well stocked with large game, which renders it a delight-
ful situation for a savage nation. Beaver formerly were
plenty also, but they are getting very scarce ; a few
vestiges only are to be seen. The proximity to the Sioux
country will for many years keep this place stocked with
animals, as the Assiniboines and Crees dare not camp here
during- the summer and remain but a short time in winter.

At four o'clock we had loaded our horses and were
ascending the banks ; and having got to the plains we
directed our course N. E. We pushed on as fast as pos-

■* A mistake, if Henry means anything more than an east-west course of the
river, without regard to its flow. The water is here running from W. to E.
(approximately), before turning gradually northward. Places in the vicinity are
now called Mouse River, Echo, and Pendroy. Henry is nearest the first of
these.

STAMPEDE — INUNDATION — GROSSE BUTTE. 409

sible until dark, when we stopped for the night, and formed
an entrenchment with our baggage to prevent the buffalo
and horses from running over us. The buffalo dung being
too damp to take fire, we remained in the dark, every
moment in dread of being trampled. About midnight a
large herd of buffalo passed so near some of our horses as
to make them break their cords, and away they went ; but
fortunately their legs were tied. We pursued them, but to
no purpose ; the night was too dark.

Aug-, ^t/i. At daybreak we were on the lookout for
our horses, and found they had returned to their comrades
that were tied near us. We lost no time in loading, during
which several old bulls stood at a short distance to wind-
ward, staring at us with as much unconcern as if they were
common cattle. We took our course north, and soon found
an astonishing quantity of water, which overlaid the plains
more extensively than we had before seen since the com-
mencement of our journey. Buffalo continued to appear
in every direction around us. At twelve o'clock we came
to the Grosse Butte,* which seemed to be their termination
northward, as we saw only a few straggling bulls ahead
of us. From^ the summit of these hills we could discern
Turtle mountain like a low, blue cloud due N. from us, dis-
tant about 20 leagues. The hills are partially covered with
short grass ; the greater part being a barren, white sand,
particularly on the S. side, where there is no verdure what-
ever. Upon the N. side, at the foot of the hill, is a beau-
tiful lake about three leagues in circumference, with a
beach of white gravel and sand. At the S. end, adjoining
the foot of the hill, is a delightful little wood, which runs

' After crossing Mouse r. from S. to N., Henry took first a N. E. and then
a N. course, in McHenry Co. As this river is running northeastward and then
northward, he is W. of it, and has it on his right hand, at no great distance.
But as he has given no distances on these courses, identification of his Grosse
Butte can only be conjectured. Two of the most conspicuous and isolated ele-
vations in the region are now known as White Rock hill and Little Medicine
Lodge. The latter is 10 or 12 m. N. E. of the former, which I am inclined
to think may be his Grosse Butte. >

410 DELIGHTFUL SPOT — MARCH RESUMED.

about three acres up the hill, and for the same distance
along the lake. This is a great resort for buffalo and other
animals, to shade themselves from the heat of the sun,
and may serve as a shelter from storms in winter. The
state of the ground in this little wood shows there are
always animals in it ; for the grass does not grow, and the
bark of the trees, to the height of an animal, is worn
perfectly smooth by their continual rubbing. The pros-
pect from the top of this hill is very pleasant ; to the
N. lies an extensive plain, bounded by a ridge that runs
E. and W., over which Turtle mountain appears. On the
left the country is one level plain, with many small lakes.,
about which numerous herds of buffalo feed. On the right,
the plain is also level for about three leagues, where it
rises into many high, sandy hills;* stunted willows and
poplars grow in the valleys, but the barren summits display
only white sand. In this direction saw no buffalo, but
numerous herds of cabbrie supplied that deficiency.
Southward stretched an extensive plain, with many small
lakes, and buffalo moving in every direction ; the view was
only bounded by the small rising grounds we started from
this morning. Upon the whole I found this the most
delightful spot I recollect to have seen in any part of the
meadow country. We determined to enjoy it for a short
time ; so we unloaded our horses, and having killed a good
fat cow, our fire was soon smoking with as many fine
appalats as we could crowd upon it.

At noon we loaded and began our march, but soon found
the increasing depth of water upon the plains a great
inconvenience ; it was often up to our horses' bellies, and

^ A long range of sand hills, interspersed with groves of poplars, bounds
Mouse r. for many miles on the right or E., at the apparent distance given by
Henry, whose position may now be fixed with some confidence, in the close
vicinity of the village of Lane, or Carder. This is on the opposite bank of the
river, lo m. N. of the town of Towner. At the latter point the Great North-
ern Ry. crosses Mouse r. for the second time from the W. , having crossed the
other loop of the same river at Minot. Henry is thus about lo m. N. of
the railroad, and nearly up to lat. 48° 30' N., in McHenry Co.

HORSES LOST — MOUSE RIVER AT WOOD END. 411

commonly knee-deep, excepting on the rising grounds.
This made our progress very slow and tedious. At six
o'clock we stopped for the night upon a small rising
ground, having the banks and wood of Riviere la Souris in
sight, about two leagues ahead of us.' The buffalo dung
was too damp to burn, the weather was sultry, with an
appearance of rain, and mosquitoes so troublesome that
our horses could not feed. We fettered and tied them
with cords as usual ; but eight of them broke their cords
and ran off with their fore feet still fettered. We passed a
very disagreeable night.

■^^<?'- 5t^'" No sign of our eight horses. Some of us re-
mained to take care of the property whilst others went to
search for them ; but all in vain. Night brought no news
of our strayed horses.

Aug. 6th. At daybreak seven of our party started on
horseback in different directions, whilst I remained with
two men to convey our baggage to Riviere la Souris, by put-
ting extra loads upon our remaining horses and making two
trips. Having come to the river we found the water extra-
ordinarily high ; and, the land being low for some distance
from the river, the water had soaked it to such a degree as
to make miry places, which our horses could scarcely get
through with their heavy loads. The banks, which here
and for many leagues below are nearly on a level with the
water at its usual height, were entirely overflowed, so that
we could hardly get to the wood or find any convenient
crossing. After wading through water, and getting our
horses several times fast in the mire, we at last passed over
the W. extremity of the sandy ridge, which borders the
river and runs parallel with it almost to the S. E. bend op-
posite the Dog's House. We fell upon the river at the
lower end of the wood, a few miles below Riviere aux
Saules ;' its course here is from E. to W. Here we em-

'' Mouse r. having curved from N. to N. W., it is " ahead " of them as
they go N., having before been on their right hand.

* Now known as Willow cr. , translating the French name in the text. It

412 MOUSE RIVER RECROSSED.

ployed the remainder of the day making a raft and crossing
our baggage, which was done by means of two long lines —
one tied to each end of the raft. With one end of a line in
my mouth, I swam the river, hauling the loaded raft over,
and unloaded it, when my companion on the opposite side
would draw it back. In this manner everything was got
over safe, and soon after six o'clock our party returned,
having seen no sign of our strayed horses. This evening
was gloomy and silent ; several of our party peevishly
lamented their loss ; some were so much cast down as to
lose their appetite, and went to sleep in a very surly mood.
At nine o'clock it began to rain and continued all night.
Mosquitoes as usual.

Aug. jth. We were up early, preparing for departure in
sullen silence. Those who had lost their horses had bag-
gage to carry, and they did not relish the idea of wading
through the water. Many were the " laches " and " sacres "
uttered in vain. At seven o'clock we set ofT, having dis-
tributed the loads of the eight horses upon the remaining
17 ; five of our people were obliged to go afoot, much
against their inclination. Soon after leaving camp three of
them got into such a pet that they sheared off toward Turtle
mountain. We soon lost sight of them, and saw them no
more this day. We followed down the river, which is here
destitute of wood, and so continues until it receives the two
little rivers of Tete a la Biche [North and South Antler
creeks]. The water being very high, the current flowed
gently on a level with the plains. It soon divided into sev-
eral branches, which in turn spread into several small lakes

falls into Mouse r. on the N. and from the E., in a locality some time known
as Wood End, from the fact expressed in the name, and alluded to by Henry.
A few miles up this creek is a place called Wines, and a short distance above
its mouth, on the N. side of Mouse r., is the town of Oakland, 6 or 8 m. N. W.
of Carder. A short distance below Willow cr., the comparatively large stream
known as Cut Bank cr. falls into Mouse r. on the opp. side, from the W.
Henry crosses the river between the mouths of these two creeks, from S. to N.,
and will proceed N. W. down the right bank. Compare note *^, p. 310, and
note '", p. 311.

TURTLE MOUNTAIN. 413

surrounded with rushes, reeds, and tall grass ; no wood, not
even willows, was to be seen. At eleven o'clock we halted,
after some difficulty in getting across small rivulets which
fall into the river from the E/ At one o'clock we were
again on our march, leaving the river to our left, and direct-
ing our course N. E. toward the head or W. end of Turtle
mountain.'" Night came on before we could reach it, which
obliged us once more to stop in the open plain ; but being
on a rising ground the buffalo dung was tolerably dry, and
we made shift to keep up a smudge to drive off the swarms
of mosquitoes.

Aug. 8th. We were oflf early, and pushed on with speed.
At eleven o'clock we came to the head of Turtle mountain,
where we found the vestiges of several Assiniboine camps,
one only a few days old; had we fallen in with them, our
horses might have been all stolen. We halted on the brow
of the mountain, which appeared to be a very eligible and
convenient summer residence for the Assiniboines and
Crees, judging from the number of old and new vestiges of
camps we saw. It began to rain. I was determined to
proceed, let the weather be ever so bad, but some of our
party thought proper to shelter themselves from the wet
and stop for the night. At one o'clock some of us loaded
and pushed on, carrying our baggage. We soon came to

' That is, from the western slopes of Turtle mt. There are several (not in-
cluding the two Henry calls Tete a la Biche). One of the largest is now known
as Boundary cr., as it comes down in Bottineau Co. from the parallel of 49® N.
I was near the head of this stream in the summer of 1873, in the western foot-
hills of Turtle mt., whence the distance due W. to the point where Mouse r.
crosses 49° for the fourth and last time is 20 m. In judging of courses by com-
pass-points in this locality, allowance must be made for a magnetic variation of
17° E. The longitude of the station here alluded to is 100° 30' W.; and
Mouse r. finally passes from the United States a little short of loi".

'" Turtle mt. is so called from its general shape, which is oval, like the cara-
pace of a turtle, viewed from on top. Its westernmost end forms a consider-
able and well-marked projection from the general oval contour, which repre-
sents the head of the turtle; this is what Henry means by the phrase. To reach
this point he crosses 49° N., past the station mentioned in the last note, and is
thus in British America (Manitoba).

414 THIRD CROSSING OF MOUSE RIVER.

small rivulets that issue out of the mountain and empty
into a lake," that is situated in the plain about three leagues
N. N. W. from the head of the mountain. This lake is five
miles long, and half a mile wide ; in the middle stand two
islands. We directed our course along the lake, which runs
about N. N. E., found a great quantity of water, and had
some trouble in fording the rivulets. At sunset we stopped
near one of those banks, which were well supplied with ex-
cellent red cherries or cerises, of the largest kind I ever saw
in this country, and delicious flavor.

Aug. gth. For the first time on this journey we were fav-
ored with a keen air from the N. W., which kept the mos-
quitoes down, and allowed us to saddle and load our horses
quietly ; indeed we were obliged to keep up a good fire to
warm ourselves before mounting. Wrapping our cloaks and
blankets round us, we set off before sunrise, shivering with
cold. Soon after leaving our camp we mired our horses in
attempting to pass too near the N. extremity of the lake ;
we had some trouble and difficulty in getting them out,
which being done we made a long circuit eastward to clear
this ugly marsh, by going to the rising grounds, where we
crossed the last rivulet which runs from the mountain into
the lake. It was deep and bad crossing, with a strong cur-
rent. We then came to more hilly country with a dry soil,
and took what is called the Grande Traverse of Turtle moun-
tain, directing our course N. At three o'clock, having forced
our hdrses very much, we came to Riviere la Souris, which
here runs from W. to E., and is very rapid. ^ We crossed at
the Grand Passage ;" a few miles below this place it forms

"Whitewater 1., also called White 1., mention of which fixes Henry's course
and position with precision. Yesterday he left Mouse r. a short distance above
Boundary cr., and proceeded N. E., approx. parallel with the course of this
creek, and camped on rising ground toward the head of Turtle mt. This morn-
ing he skirted the mountain and reached the site of Deloraine, on the Pembina
branch of the C. P. Ry. He continues along the line of the railroad, S. of the
lake, having trouble with several rivulets or coulees that make down from the
mountain, and camps near the N. E. end of the lake, beyond Whitewater sta.

'" This third crossing of Mouse r. may puzzle some who do not understand

THE ASSINIBOINE RIVER HOUSE. 415

a considerable bend at which it receives the waters of one
of the Placotte [Rib Bone] lakes, and then courses about
E. [nearer N. E.] into the Assiniboine. Having got safely
over, we unloaded and gave our horses some time to rest,
while we cooked a kettle of pounded corn, and at five
o'clock were again on the march. The Moose Head was in
sight, and we soon saw the woods of the Assiniboine.
Night came on while we were still at a distance from it ; but
having a beaten path, to which my horse was accustomed,
I gave him the loose rein, being determined to get in. We
drove on hard in the dark, and the first object that struck
my attention was the block-house of the fort, close under
which my horse was passing. The gate was instantly
opened, and we entered at half-past eleven.

Here we found those peevish fellow-travelers, who had
arrived before us, having walked day and night and fallen
upon Riviere la Souris at Plumb river. One of them, how-
ever, was so completely knocked up that he remained at
the Moose Head, and Mr. La Rocque was obliged to send a
man with a horse to bring him in ; he had arrived just be-
fore me, scarcely able to crawl. We also found here a
troublesome set of Indians, all drinking. A wash, shave,

the remarkable course of the stream ; but any good map will put them " onto
its curves," as the saying goes in baseball. In coming on his general N. course,
Henry passed it : (i) At its bight or elbow nearest the Missouri, where he
went from its right to its left bank, as it was flowing E. (2) At Wood End,
where he went from its left to its right bank, as it was flowing W. (3) In the
present place, where he went from its right to its left bank, as it was flowing
E. The river was thus first ahead of him ; next on his right, then ahead of
him again ; next on his left ; fifth, ahead of him ; and after the third crossing,
he finally leaves it behind and off to the right. The present road from White-
water 1. to Mouse r. runs N. E. through places called Nimitaw, Haviland,
Alceste, and Margaret ; this is not far from Henry'^ route, but he seems to have
held more nearly N., in the line of Abigail, Dunallen, and Heaslip, as he says
he struck the river "a few miles" above the point where it receives the
discharge of some of the Placotte or Rib Bone lakes ; for these, see note ^,
p. 81. Their drainage is mostly eastward, from Turtle and Pembina mts. ; but
W. of the largest one (Pelican 1.) are some small ones which discharge the
other way, into Mouse r., at the sharp elbow it makes in Tp. 6, R. xviii, W. of
the princ. merid. ; vicinity of Margaret and Langvale.

4l6 MISERABLE CONDITION OF THIS POST.

and change of linen was very acceptable, as I had worn
the same shirt since leaving Panbian river, and it was not
entirely free from vermin, notwithstanding daily efforts to
destroy them. I went to sleep in clean blankets on a soft
feather bed, and only those who have experienced like
hardships can form any idea of my delightful repose.

Sunday, Aug. loth. A curious circumstance occurred
last night. One of the Indians had sold a horse, and when
we arrived was about to return to his camp with the pay-
ment. During the bustle and confusion of unloading our
horses and storing the property this fellow slipped into the
yard with his comrades, whose horses were tied near ours,
and in saddling theirs did the same with one of ours that
had just arrived. The gates being locked one of them went
to the Assiniboine interpreter Desmarais, and desired him to
open the gate. This he did ; the fellow rode away unno-
ticed with his comrades, whooping and hallooing, still half
drunk, and the theft was not discovered till this morning.

This establishment is now in a miserable condition ; they
have neither flesh nor fish — nothing but some old musty
beat meat, and no grease. They have had but 14 animals,
including cabbrie, since the departure of the canoes in May
last, and a few bags of pemmican — a mere trifle for so many
mouths — say 3 clerks, i interpreter, 3 laboring men, and 47
women and children, or 54 people entitled to regular rations.
The men are now employed in making hay for the winter
for such horses as are stabled to do the necessary work at
the fort, hauling firewood, etc. But the great quantity of
water in the meadows renders their progress slow and
tedious. They have to mow knee-deep in the water, whilst
another man follows with a cart and carries the grass to the
high grounds, where it is spread out to dry. There has
been no trade whatever this summer. The Indians are
starving all over the country, no buffalo being found within
their limits. There are a few freemen about this place, who
have actually disposed of their women and clothing to the
H. B. Co.'s people in barter for beat meat. The remainder

ROUTE RESUMED — CYPRESS RIVER RAFTED. 417

of our party, whom I had left at Turtle mountain, arrived
this afternoon.

Aug. nth. At daybreak I was up preparing for my
departure, having sent T. Veaudrie [Vaudry] to Portage la
Prairie and kept Ducharme to attend me. I determined to
return home by the route of the Hair hills, this being much
shorter than by way of Portage la Prairie. Mr. Chaboillez
and his party would not set off until the 14th or 15th,
having no horses to carry the baggage to Fort Dauphin.
At sunrise I bade him adieu and mounted, directing my
course E. S. E. At seven o'clock we crossed Riviere la
Souris for the last time, near the sturgeon barrier, upon a
shoal of gravel and sand in water only knee deep — the best
crossing-place I had seen in all my journey. We now
passed on through sandy hills to the level plain, where we
came in sight of the Hair hills. At eleven o'clock we
stopped to refresh our horses, and at one o'clock we again
set off. We took the traverse for the mountain, but on
coming to Cypress river '^ found it had overflowed its banks
about three acres on each side, and could find no fordable
place. We were obliged to turn out of our way some miles
in going to where we perceived a large dry poplar tree and
a few stunted willows, but there we had the mortification to
find that the wood stood on the opposite side of the river.
There being no alternative, we unloaded our horses and
stripped. I crossed over, collected what brush I could find,
and with the poplar formed a raft so very slight as to
carry scarcely more than 50 pounds' weight. The mosqui-
toes were intolerable, and as we were obliged to remain
naked for about four hours, we suffered more than I can
describe. The grass on each side was too high to haul our
raft through to dry land ; we could use it only on the river
by means of two long cords, one fastened to each end.
Ducharme hauled it over to his side, and after making it

'^ Present name ; a small tributary of the Assiniboine which drains from the
Pembina mts. northward. It is crossed by the C. P. Ry. at a station of the
same name.

4l8 BLUE MONDAY — CYPRESS RIVER RECROSSED.

fast he went to dry land for a load in water up to his arm-
pits, whilst I waited with my whole body immersed until
he brought down a load and laid it upon the raft with great
precautions, as it was in danger of upsetting from the
strength of the current. I then hauled it over, made fast, and
carried the load to dry land upon my head. Every time I
landed the mosquitoes plagued me insufferably ; and still
worse, the horse I had crossed over upon was so tormented
that he broke his fetters and ran away. I was under the
cruel necessity of pursuing him on the plains entirely naked ;
fortunately I caught him and brought him back. I suffered
a good deal from the sharp-pointed grass pricking my bare
feet, and mosquito bites covered my body. The sun was
set before we finished our transportation. The water in this
river is always excessively cold, and by the time we got all
over our bodies were as blue as indigo ; we were shivering
like aspen leaves, and our legs were cut and chafed by the
coarse stiff grass. We shot an old swan and caught two
young ones that could not Hy ; this made us a comfortable
supper. We stopped here for the night, much fatigued and
harassed.

Aug. 1 2th. At the break of day we were on our journey.
At eight o'clock we came to the entrance of the Hair hills,
and on ascending the first ridge fell upon an old Indian
path, which we followed, almost due E. At ten o'clock we
once more crossed Cypress river, and came to the old win-
tering houses of 1801-02, at the White Mud. At eleven
o'clock we stopped to feed our horses for an hour. The
mountain road was bad ; every low spot was a mire, through
which our horses could scarcely make their way. We
crossed two small rivulets,'^ which fall into Panbian river,

'* Traveling about S. E. to-day, Henry crosses Cypress r. higher up than
before, somewhere between the places called St. Alphonse and Norquay ;
passes by the present Swan Lake Indian reserve, which the N. P. and Man.
R. R. traverses, N. of Swan 1.; crosses two rivulets running S. W. into Pem-
bina r. , one of them that on which is situated a place called Kingsley ; and
camps on a third rivulet in the vicinity of La Riviere sta. of the Pembina
branch of the C. P. Ry., not far from where the railroad crosses Pembina r.

TETE DE BOEUF — THE PINANCEWAYWINING. 419

which runs about three miles upon our right hand. We
crossed another small river, on the banks of which we put
up for the night, near the grave of Summer Bird, an Indian
who died here two years ago.

Au£: 13th. At daybreak we were on horseback ; our
road still worse than yesterday's, being marshy for several
leagues, until we came to the Tete de BcEuf,'^ where we
arrived at ten o'clock and unloaded. This appears to be the
highest land of this mountain. From this elevated station
the prospect is extensive in every direction excepting on
the N., where the strong wood is near at hand. In other
directions the land appears to fall on all sides for a consid-
erable distance. There is a small lake, about half a mile
in circumference, at the S. end of which stands a small
hillock in the shape of a bee-hive. On the top of this the
Assiniboines and Crees are very particular to make sacri-
fices of tobacco and other trifles, and to collect also a cer-
tain number of bull's heads, which they daub over with
red earth, and deposit on the summit, the nose always
pointing to the E. Our course was E., the same as yester-
day. At noon we were off, directing our course S. E.,
through Prairie de la Tete de Boeuf . The road was tolerably
firm and dry, as the plains are elevated, and the soil sandy,
mixed with stones. We soon crossed Pinancewaywining
river, having the water up to our saddles, and fell upon a
well-beaten road, which, I suppose, had been made by the
camp of Saulteurs I had seen at Riviere aux Gratias. As-
tonishing quantities of raspberries grow almost everywhere
on the mountain, and in particular about this place ; the
bushes were bending with their delicious burden. Poires
and cherries have also been plentiful, but the Indians have
destroyed them all. At six o'clock we came upon the

"Already mentioned in this work as Buffalo Head or Bull's Head, now
called Calf mt. The railroad last mentioned skirts its N. base : sta. Darling-
ford, between Manitou and Thornhill. This notable landmark is on the E.
escarpment of the Pembina mts., in the S. W. comer of Tp. 3, R. 7» W. of the
princ. merid., in an air-line 7 m. N. of Pembina r., and 14 m. N. of lat. 49^-

420 PLEASANT PROSPECT FROM HAIR HILLS.

brow of the mountain and in full view of the plains of Red
river, which appear to the eastward below us ; here we
stopped for the night, near a small brook of clear water.

We had a delightful prospect ; the weather was clear ;
as far as the eye could reach, nothing offered to obstruct
the view ; it was one smooth, level plain, without the least
hillock or rising ground. Upon our right lay the well-
wooded Panbian river, about six leagues distant, whose
banks are well lined with wood, coming through the moun-
tains eastward from the Lacs des Placottes, and retaining
the woods until it joins Red river, receiving in its course
several small streams, and at last Tongue river, which is
nearly as large as itself. At our feet issued out of the
mountain two rivulets, whose banks retained their wood
for about three leagues in the plains, where the water then
spreads into a number of small streams, which run apart
through the meadow till they re-unite to form Plumb river,
whose tufts of wood we could scarcely discern. Upon our
left hand lay first the Pinancewaywining, beyond which we
could see the blue wood of Riviere aux Islets de Bois;
they both issue out of the m.ountain, and retain their wood
for a considerable distance in the plains, when their waters
spread, and are lost in several large marshes and small
streams, which course through the meadows, and then
effect a junction by two forks, thus forming Riviere aux
Gratias, which, after running a few leagues, empties into
Red river. I have many times beheld these plains covered
with buffalo at all seasons of the year ; now not one solitary
old bull enlivens the prospect. This summer's extraordi-
nary rain, having overflowed the low country, has caused
the buffalo to resort to the high lands southward. About
midnight I awoke in great pain, occasioned by a large
black insect having got into my ear. With some dififiiculty
I extricated it with the head of a pin, after which my ear
bled considerably, but I felt no more pain.

Aug: i^tk. At daybreak we were on horseback, directing
our course E. S. E. down the mountain and across the

HOME AGAIN FROM THE MANDAN TOUR. 42 1

plains. We found a great quantity of water, and for a
long distance our horses had it up to their bellies. How-
ever, at eleven o'clock we fell in with our old cart-road,
and soon after reached the passage on Panbian river, where
we stopped to refresh our horses. At one o'clock we
reloaded, and were again on our journey. Our course was
E., upon the old beaten cart-road, which has been traced
for six years past by transporting our property to and
from the mountain, where we have generally had an
establishment since I first settled on this river. This road
used to be firm and good, but the continued rain of the
summer has altered the face of almost everything, and
there is now mud and water knee deep. Our progress was
tedious, and the mosquitoes appeared to attack us with
greater fury than ever. I lost all patience in being so
tormented, and drove ahead as fast as my horse would
carry me, leaving Ducharme to come on with the loaded
horses at his leisure. At five o'clock I arrived at Panbian
river, where I found a number of Saulteurs camped at
the fort. Ducharme soon arrived with the horses.

Au£;. 2jd. A mounted express from the Forks of the
Assiniboine informed me of the arrival of the Lower Red
River brigade at that place. I prepared t9 go down to
meet them. 2,f.th. Embarked with four men. 2^th. In
the evening we arrived at the Forks, having met a light
canoe at Riviere Sale, coming up to meet me. 26th.
Made up the assortment for Portage la Prairie and Riviere
du Milieu ; also equipped a few Indians who were going
to hunt on Seine and Rat rivers. 2'/th. Sent off two
canoes for Portage la Prairie and the remainder of the
brigade for Panbian river, going myself on horseback to
Portage la Prairie. Having settled that place I proceeded
to my headquarters, where I found all hands had arrived,
and the Indians camped at the fort anxiously awaiting me
to have a drinking-match. Having starved all summer they
had little to trade ; I therefore obliged them to decamp
without drinking.

422

SAND HILL RIVER OUTBOST — BEARS.

Sept. i^th. I sent a boat above, with directions to build
at Sandy Hiir° river, where most of the Indians proposed
to winter, but made no other outposts.

RETURNS OF LOWER RED RIVER DEPARTMENT, 1806-07.

Six Canoes.

1,184 Beavers, weighing 1750 lbs

213 Black bears ,

51 Brown bears ,

I Grizzly bear

1,207 Martens

126 Minks

544 Muskrats

I ig Otters

238 Fishers

420 Wolves ,

216 Dressed biche skins

30 Dressed red deer skins

53 Parchment biche skins

32 Fallow deer skins

iig Red foxes

7 Cross foxes ,

4 Silver foxes ,

8 Wolverenes

4 [copy blank]

1 Muskrat robe

21 Ermines

77 Packs of 85 lbs. each

116 Bags of pemmican of 85 lbs. each

24 Kegs of grease

II Kegs of sugar

4 Kegs of gum

5 Kegs of beef

2 Kegs of tongue

908
54

471
Z4
48

31
69

32
4
4
S
2
I
6

>- ■§

-o

23
II

209
18

>> t^ ^

= ".§ X

500

IS
33
22

250

12
30
43

10
6

« c

56s

122

75
21

42
64

78
127
97
3°
21

2
34

6
4
5
4

Gain, ;^I98 4J. 10^., Halifax Cy.

Everything went on as usual during the winter, Buffalo
abounded, and the Indians made tolerably good hunts,
considering the exhausted state of this small department.
Bears were uncommonly numerous in the Hair hills, owing
perhaps to the quantity of water on the lowlands, which
obliged them to resort to the rising grounds for winter quar-

'*Or Sand Hill r. — Riviere aux Buttes de Sable of Nov. loth, 1800 : see p.
141, note '".

DEATH-BLOW TO PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE. 423

ters ; they were excessively fat. One of my hunters killed 36
prime bears in the course of the season. Whatever number
of bears an Indian may kill in the summer or fall is consid-
ered of no consequence, as they are valueless and easy to
hunt ; but after they have taken up their winter quarters
the Indians glory in killing them.

Portage la Prairie was unsuccessful this year in its returns.
The main cause of this was an unfortunate quarrel which
took place last spring, when some were killed and others
wounded, among them one of our principal men, whose
skull was split open with an ax. He lived 15 days in the
warm month of June, during which period the brains never
ceased to ooze out. He retained his senses to the last
moment, but the wound emitted a horrid stench before he
died. The loss of this man may be said to have given the
death-blow to Portage la Prairie. A party of our Indian
hunters from Sandy Hill river were attacked in the spring,
while working beaver in Folle Avoine river, by a war-party
of 50 Sioux ; Naubeenvishcung [No. 23, p. 54] and a Cana-
dian named Charette '" from Michilimackinac were killed.
We left our quarters as usual [for Kamanistiquia].

" Or La Charette, as this surname was also rendered : compare the place-
name La Charette on the Missouri, in L. and C, ed. 1893, pp. 2, 8, 1182,
1211, and in Pike, ed. 1895, pp. 361, 363, 364, 512.— One Simon or Simeon
Charette was with the Cadottes in 1799.

CHAPTER XII.

THE PEMBINA RIVER POST, CONCLUDED : 1807-08.

HUG. 31st, 1807. I arrived at Panbian river in 30 days
from Fort William, alias Kamanistiquia, leaving an
establishment at Riviere aux Morts, and gave up Portage
la Prairie to the Upper Red River department. This
season we were troubled by an augmentation of freemen
from Canada, etc. Their total numbers on this river
amounted to 45 ; more worthless fellows could not be
found in the North West. On my arrival the Indians, as
usual, were camped at the fort. My men were just finish-
ing our hay — 3,000 bundles, of about 15 pounds each. Buf-
falo were very numerous and near at hand.

Sept. I2th. Two H. B. Co. boats arrived from Albany
Factory ; Hugh Henry [Heney '], master. i4.tJi. I sent a
boat above, William Henry, master, with T. Veandrie, inter-
preter, and seven men, to build at Grandes Fourches. 15th.
I quarreled with Tabashaw, and turned him out of the
fort. igth. One H. B. Co. bgat off for Grandes Fourches ;
six men and a skiff. Indians have been drinking for 1$
days, and are decamping. I employed all my men to build
a large stable, to contain 50 horses.

' Hugh Heney's name is a snare into which others have fallen besides myself.
It is sometimes found as Haney, but usually becomes Henry in MS. and thence
gets into print. Masson has Heney correctly, I. pp. 307, 308. " A Mr. Haney "
first occurs in Lewis and Clark, Dec. i6th, 1804, p. 212 of my ed. of 1893. I
there question the name, which is certainly not Haney in the Clark Codex C
132, where it stands in MS. twice Henny or Henry. In the Lewis Codex L
69, date of July ist, 1806, it stands Henry, interlined Haney; but Biddle printed
Henry, and on p. 1065 I bracketed " [Alexander] Henry," with cheerful
promptitude, thus identifying Hugh Heney with our author, who I had just
learned was at the Mandans in 1806. I had never seen Masson at that time,
or I should not have made such a blunder. My error repeats itself on p. 1192,

4*4

TO GRANDES FOURCHES VTA HAIR HILLS. 425

Oct. ist. We began our harvest, but the produce was
not much, compared with other years. Fire all over the
country. loth. Finished our harvest. Got a bridge made
over the creek for the purpose of hauHng firewood more
conveniently. 19th. One of the women untied a bag
containing two quarts of gunpowder, and, imprudently
holding a light over it, a spark fell into and exploded it on
her lap ; her face, neck, and hands were shockingly burned,
but she recovered.

Oct. jist. I left for Grandes Fourches, going by way of
the Hair hills, on some particular business. I set out in my
chaise and pair, with four men on horseback. We saw all
the different gangs of freemen along the hills. Buffalo in
abundance, although the plains were lately burned. At the
foot of the mountain, near the upper part of Turtle river,
as my men were pursuing a herd on horseback, I could not
refrain from joining in the chase, having two famous buffalo
hunters to my chaise. I gave them the reins, away they
flew, and I soon dashed into the herd, neck or nothing.
The buffalo suddenly changed their course, and my horses,
being eager to keep along with them, as suddenly altered
theirs ; the shafts of the carriage broke short off, and down
I came to the ground. Fortunately I kept hold of the
reins, and with some difificulty stopped the horses. My
people soon spliced the break, and put the carriage in con-
dition to perform my journey.

Nov. 5th. At Grandes Fourches. We had a heavy fall

where I quote Lewis and Clark's estimate of " Mr. Haney, who is a very sen-
sible intelligent man," in rebuking Alexander Henry for some unkind and
injudicious words he used of my heroes. My only consolation is that I have
sinned in goodly and numerous company, and can now make my own amends,
as no critic has found me out, thus far.

We hear of a person, no doubt the same Hugh Heney, in Tanner's Narr., ed.
James, 1830, p. 167 : "We had ascended Red River about 100 miles when we
met Mr. Hanie, a trader ; " and again, p. 182 : " Mr. Hanie, a trader for the
Hudson's Bay people, had arrived at Pembinah." There is much more said
about him on following pages. The exact date is not easy to calculate ; but it
was after our author had left Red r. , and had been succeeded by Mr. Wells of
the N. W. Co. — before or about the time of the first Selkirk settlers.

426 THE ORKNEY " LAD " IN CHILDBIRTH.

of snow, but it did not prevent my returning home, where
I arrived on the I2th. That night Red river was frozen
over.

Dec. ph. I shot a duck in a small open space in the
river, of a species we call the winter duck ; it was very fat.
i^th. We have experienced a run of terribly cold, stormy
weather, that drove the poor old bulls every night to take
shelter along our stockades.

Dec. 2gth. An extraordinary affair occurred this morn-
ing. One of Mr. Heney's Orkney lads, apparently indis-
posed, requested me to allow him to remain in my house
for a short time. I was surprised at the fellow's demand ;
however, I told him to sit down and warm himself. I re-
turned to my own room, where I had not been long before
he sent one of my people, requesting the favor of speaking
with me. Accordingly I stepped down to him, and was
much surprised to find him extended on the hearth, utter-
ing dreadful lamentations ; he stretched out his hands to-
ward me, and in piteous tones begged me to be kind to a
poor, helpless, abandoned wretch, who was not of the sex
I had supposed, but an unfortunate Orkney girl, pregnant,
and actually in childbirth. In saying this she opened her
jacket, and displayed a pair of beautiful, round, white
breasts; she further informed me of the circumstances that
had brought her into this state. The man who had de-
bauched her in the Orkneys, two years ago, was wintering
at Grandes Fourches. In about an hour she was safely de-
livered of a fine boy, and that same day she was conveyed
home in my cariole, where she soon recovered."

* C. N. Bell has an interesting note concerning this case, Trans. Hist, and
Sci. Soc. Manitoba, No. 37, 1889, p. 18: "The late Mr. Donald Murray
informed me that the history of this girl was well known to him and others of
the early Selkirk settlers. She was at James Bay for two years, and then at
Brandon House on the Assiniboine, for some time, and was afterwards sent to
the H. B. Co.'s post at Pembina. It has been claimed that the first white
woman who arrived in the Red River country was a French Canadian, Madame
Lajimoniere [sic], who came to the Northwest from Three Rivers, Quebec, in
1806, but from the evidence obtained from Henry's journal, and verbal state-

BATTLES BETWEEN SIOUX AND SAULTEURS. 427

The same afternoon an express arrived from Grandes
Fourches, informing us that a large war-party of Sioux had
fallen upon our principal body of Saulteurs in camp at
Grosse Isle, near FoUe Avoine river, and killed our great
chief Tabashaw, his eldest son, and an old woman/ The
Saulteurs had fought like heroes against superior numbers,
and obliged them to retreat, by which means the camp was
saved ; the enemy left one of their men dead on the field,
and carried off several others severely wounded. We also
heard of another battle, fought by the Saulteurs of Leech
and Red lakes against 30 tents of Sioux, near Riviere de

ments of Mr. Donald Murray, there can be no doubt but that this Orkney girl
had been here at least a year when Madame Lagimoniere [sic] arrived. Con-
cealing her true sex for three or four years, it was only revealed to one man,
John Scart, until after the birth of her child, in December, 1807. She was
sent home to the Orkneys, and I am informed became, with her daughter, pub-
lic characters, and were known as vagrants, under the name of the ' Norwesters.'
Mr. Murray stated ' this was undoubtedly the first white woman who lived in
the Red River country. I knew both Baptiste Lajimoniere and his wife, but
never before heard that it was claimed that she was the first white woman in
this country.'" On the same subject, compare Tanner, p. 200 : "The Scots
people, to the number of loo or more, arrived to settle at Red River, under the
protection of the Hudson's Bay Company, and among these I saw, for the first
time in many years, since I had become a man, a white woman." The birth
our author records is no doubt that of the first all-white child on Red r.

^ Tanner, pp. 169-71, gives a circumstantial account of an affair which can
be no other than the one Henry thus briefly mentions. Tanner is diffuse about
it, and my calculated chronology fetches his story out of date a little ; but I
think the identification can be made. Tanner is talking of a party of Ojibbe-
ways on Wild Rice (or FoUe Avoine) river, which included Ais-ainse (Little
Clam), his old wife, and her young son, who called out, " The Sioux are coming !"
The old woman " was no more heard of." A Sioux killed "a favorite son of
Ais-ainse." Furthermore, there was " another considerable man of the Ojibbe-
ways, who was also named Ta-bush-shish." Tanner finally has it that " these
were all that were killed at that time, the old woman, Ta-bush-shish, and the son
of Ais-ainse." Such a Henry-Tanner concordance as this can hardly be fortu-
itous, though Henry kills Tabashaw's son, instead of Little Clam's. I also think
that Tanner, p. 171, indicates the other fight of which Henry speaks in the
same paragraph. For Tanner says "it was on the same day . . . that the
war-party from Leech Lake, which Wa-ge-tone had joined, fell upon 40 Sioux
lodges, ai the long prairie, . . . fought for two days, and many were killed on
each side."

428 SPRING OPENING— COHORN MOUNTED.

L'Aile du Corbeau [Crow Wing river, Minn.], wherein 20
tents were destroyed ; the Saulteurs lost but seven men,
and brought away many of the enemy's horses. This party
consisted of about 200 men.

Friday, Jan. I St, 1808. Buffalo in great abundance. J^th.
I sent four men to Riviere Qu'Appelle for high wine ; also
two men to make salt at Turtle river. 2^d. Two men
arrived from Bas de la Riviere with dispatches from Mr.
McKay concerning the Mountain Indian plot. 26th. Sent
off the express for Leech lake. 28th. Finished our winter
stock of fresh meat, having sufficient to last until July.

Feb. ijth. Filled our ice house with ice and fresh meat.
24th. Bad coughs and colds have attacked every man,
woman, and child. 26th. Men making wheels.

Mar. 2d. We have had a few days of mild weather.
This morning we saw a vulture [turkey-buzzard] for the
first time this season — the earliest I ever saw on this river.
In 1800 we saw them on the 7th of March, on the Assini-
boine. 3d. Some Indians who came in to-day had seen
emmerions [^merillons — small hawks] on the ist inst. 4th.
Swans passing last night. Indians all camped at the fort,
drinking and very troublesome. They are in such a state
of consternation from the Sioux having fallen upon them
that they have given over hunting this season, and are
collecting about the houses to go northward out of danger.
This affair has seriously injured my department; I shall
lose two-thirds of the debts I gave out last fall. 22d. Got
a carriage made for my cohorn." Saw a flock of swans.
24.th. Saw outardes. 2gth. I brought a cock and two
hens last summer from Fort William ; one of the hens died
last fall, and the other began to lay to-day. ^ist. The
winter express from the north arrived.

Apr. 2d. I sent off the express for Leech lake, and six
men also for their canotees of sugar from that place ; women

^ The cohorn or coehorn, so called as the invention of a Dutch engineer of
that name, b. 1641, d. 1704, was a small hand mortar for throwing grenades.
Henry speaks beyond of loading his with a pound of powder and 30 bullets.

henry's hennery — DURING THE BOISSON. 429

also employed making sugar here. 4.th. Wild fowl in
abundance, yth. Snow entirely gone. My blacksmith
made a plowshare weighing 30 pounds, gth. The river
broke up. nth. River clear of ice. I got a very large
wooden canoe made out of Hard. igth. My hen, having
laid 12 eggs, appeared inclined to hatch; so I put them
under her. We take sturgeon in abundance in our nets.
2'jth. Boats and rafts arrived from Grandes Fourches.

May 8th. Out of 12 eggs my hen hatched 11 chickens.
loth. In the course of 24 hours we caught in one net 120
sturgeon, weighing 60 to 150 lbs. each. Made up pemmi-
can. The Assiniboines, Crees, Sonnants, and Saulteurs,
having camped at the fort for some time and emptied some
kegs of high wine, must have a parting drop, as they pro-
pose to decamp soon. Wm. Henry gave out a lo-gallon
keg of high wine gratis. During the boisson Porcupine
Tail's son was murdered by a Courte Oreille, his beau-frere ;
he received 15 stabs in the belly and breast, and fell dead
on the spot. A few days before this affair the same Courte
Oreille had fired at him, but as the gun was only loaded
with powder, only a few grains entered the skin and did no
serious injury. About ten days ago another Saulteur was
murdered by his wife, who put the muzzle of his gun in his
mouth and blew the back part of his head away. They
were a young couple, with a boy about a year old ; she had
the handsomest face of all the women on this river, and he
was a good, honest young fellow, called La Biche. Murders
among these people are so frequent that we pay little attem
tion to them. Tneir only excuse for such outrages is that
they are drunk.

May 1 2th. We began to build a large boat to carry pem-
mican down to Bas de la Riviere. 14th. Jean Baptiste, my
guide, whom I had sent to Leech lake for sugar, arrived on
foot with one Indian, having found the water so very low
that he was obliged to put his cargoes en cache above
Riviere a I'Eau Claire [Clear Water river, Minn.], and could
only send down two canoes with a small part of their origi-

430 SEASON OVER — BRIGADE OFF— GRASSHOPPERS.

nal lading. i6th. I sent off six carts drawn by two horses
each, for the 40 kegs of sugar. Began to plow for sowing.
lyth. Began to sow potatoes, corn, pease, oats, etc. igth.
One canoe arrived from Leech lake ; the other two were
entirely worn out and had been abandoned. 2^th. I made
a strong oak battery for mounting my cohorn. 2^th. The
boat was finished and launched. The men returned with
the 40 kegs of sugar and other baggage, equal to nine pieces
per cart ; several of the kegs weighed 100 lbs. 26th. My
people from Dead river arrived in a boat with their baggage,
and made up the remainder of my packs. 28th. Finished
all our work for this season. 2gth. I settled the men's
accounts, hired those whose engagements were expired, and
gave them a treat of rum, sugar, and tobacco.

June ist. Sent off the brigade,^ and took an inventory
of property on hand. 2d. Embarked in my own canoe,
and overtook the brigade ; met a Lake Winipic canoe at
Riviere aux Gratias, and in the evening of the 3d arrived
at the Forks. loth. Sent off the brigade for Fort Wil-
liam. 24.th. Mr. McDonell embarked for Fort William ;
and I, on my return to summer at Panbian river. 25th.
Took horse at Riviere Sale, and set out for my fort. The
weather was excessively hot ; both myself and horse suf-
fered intolerably from the burning rays of the sun. The
thermometer must have been at least 104°. At dark I
arrived at Panbian river, scarcely able to crawl. Swarms
of grasshoppers [the Rocky Mountain locust, Caloptenus
spretus] have destroyed the greater part of the vegetables
in my kitchen garden— onions, cabbages, melons, cucum-
bers, carrots, parsnips, and beets. They had also attacked
the potatoes and corn, but these were strong enough at the
root to sprout again. The swarms appear about the 15th
of June, generally in clouds from the S., and spread
destruction; the very trees are stripped of their leaves.
Grasshoppers pass northward until millions are drowned in

* See beyond, end of this chapter, for the manning and lading of the bri-
gade now sent from Pembina.

SUMMER WEARS ON — DRINKING CONTINUES. 431

Lake Winipic and cause a horrid stench, as I have already
observed [Aug. 17th, 1800]. They do not make such a for-
midable appearance every year.

I found no Indians tented at the fort. My hen began to
lay again, all her chicks being now well grown. Men
hoeing potatoes and corn.

June zjth. Indians from Leech lake with tobacco, con-
cerning a grand war-party to assemble next September at
L'Eau Claire, where they propose to form a main body of
the Saulteur tribes, being fully determined to seek the
Sioux even upon their own lands and take revenge for the
affair of last autumn, when Tabashaw and his son were
killed. ;^oth. We set night lines and take abundance of
cat-fish {Atniurus nebiilostis],

July 1st. Transplanted a few cabbages that had escaped
the grasshoppers. '/th. I went hunting on horseback,
with Mr. Langlois. Slept at the Hair Hills fort. Saw
only a few bulls. 8th. Chased bulls ; killed a very fat one
and started homeward, but was overtaken by a storm of
thunder, lightning, and rain, the most terrible I ever saw
in my life ; even our horses were startled at the loud peals
and vivid flashes, becoming at times unmanageable. gth.
My hen having laid 12 eggs, and appearing inclined to set,
I put them under her. nth. My men began to make
3,000 bundles of hay. Poires now ripening ; raspberries
ripe, and in great abundance. The freemen are daily com-
ing in with dried provisions, beat meat, and grease. 12th.
Indians arrived and camped ; all drinking liquor traded for
dried provisions and skins, i^th. A few more Indians.
20th. More Indians still, bringing a tolerably good hunt
in provisions and skins. Drinking continues. I had sent
four carts to bring the baggage of this band from the other
side of Red river. This was the first essay ever made with
carts in that direction ; there was a thick wood to pass on
leaving the river for about three miles before coming to the
plains, and it had been always supposed impracticable ; but
I found it otherwise, and the carts arrived at the water's

432 NIGHT ATTACK ON THE POST.

edge with heavy loads. 21st. Indians still drinking ; some
fresh arrivals.

July 22d. This evening the drinking-match ceased, and
they all fell asleep in their tents, pitched in a range on the
first bank between the river and the fort. They were 22
men bearing arms, about 50 women, and many children.
In the fort we were nine men in all. The night was dark
and still. About midnight a discharge of firearms on the S.
side of Panbian river was suddenly heard, accompanied by
tremendous whooping and yelling in the same quarter. The
Indians were first alarmed by some balls passing through
their tents: they started up and called out to two families
who were camped on the E. side of the river, asking if they
had fired. They answered, No. At that moment another
discharge from the S. side of the little river convinced the
Indians of whom they had to deal with. Not one gun was in
their tents, for I had taken every one from them before the
drinking-match, to prevent mischief. They rushed up the
hill to the fort ; the gates being shut, they climbed over the
stockades, and in a moment entered the house, informing
us of the danger. They caught up their guns and ran to
the gates, which were by this time opened and thronged by
the women and children pushing in with their baggage.
They exchanged two or three shots with the enemy, when
the firing ceased on both sides. At this moment I got up,
and having slipped on my trousers, ran out to where the
Indians were assembled, near the burying ground. We
could distinctly hear the Sioux haranguing their own
people. The Indians wished to fire again in the direction
whence we heard the voices ; but I prevented them, got all
hands into the fort, shut the gates, and placed sentinels in
the blockhouses — to see was impossible, the night was so
dark. I gave out ammunition and guns to those who had
none, and placed my cohorn upon the battery, loaded with
one pound of powder and 30 balls. Taking aim as nearly
as possible at the spot whence we still heard the enemy
haranguing, and having a man ready with a match, I

THE COHORN TALKS TO THE SIOUX. 433

ordered him to fire. The balls clattered among the large
trees across the little river, and the noise of the discharge
must have appeared awful to people who had never heard
anything of the kind before. My Saulteurs hoped to find
a good round number of the enemy dead, as they said they
heard the Sioux lamenting their fallen relations. Every-
thing was quiet for some time, till we again heard the
enemy haranguing ; but they had withdrawn to a greater
distance. I once more loaded my cohorn : and, pointing it
as nearly as possible to the spot where we heard them, fired
a second shot. This caused them apparently to withdraw
still further, as we heard no more of them during the night.
Sentinels were stationed at every part of the fort, whilst
others accompanied the women to fetch as much water as
we had vessels to contain ; for we expected certainly to be
attacked at daybreak.

July 2^th. At the first dawn all eagerly looked for the
enemy, anxious to have the first shot ; and had the enemy
attacked the fort in daylight, they would have been roughly
handled ; the Saulteurs appeared full of animation, and
would have fought like heroes. Just before sunrise we ob-
served a party of horsemen to the southward, riding back-
ward and forward in the plains. They were prudent enough
to keep out of reach of my gun, and dare not come within
a mile of the fort. My Indians wished to go out to meet
them, supposing their numbers to be not very great ; but I
prevented them, suspecting the enemy had laid an ambus-
cade to decoy us to such distance from the fort that they
might intercept our retreat and destroy us. I therefore
advised all to keep quiet, in expectation of the enemies'
approach. But this was not their intention ; for, the sun
being half an hour high, they began to file off southward
by the road along Red river and soon disappeared. My In-
dians now crossed Panbian river to examine the spot whence
they had been fired on. They found a saddle complete, a
whip, and several pairs of shoes, all of which appeared to
have been thrown away in a sudden retreat. On the han-

434 HOW THE FREEMEN ESCAPED THE SIOUX.

die of the whip was a stain of fresh blood, but we could
find no further evidence that anyone had been hurt.
About nine o'clock, while we were consulting what meas-
ures should be taken to prevent a surprise — for we supposed
the enemy would lurk about for some days in expectation
of falling upon some straggler — suddenly our sentinel called
out that they were coming on the road directly toward the
fort. Everyone ran to quarters ; I went upon the top of my
house, the most elevated situation in the fort, where I per-
ceived a large body of horsemen coming on the road ; but
on examining them with my glass, I saw a cart among
them and soon recognized them as a party of freemen
coming with loads of grease. On arrival they were aston-
ished to learn of their narrow escape from the Sioux, who
would have shown them no mercy. The usual route of
those freemen in summer, when they come in the fort,
lies along Red river, and is exactly that by which the
enemy came and returned. But on this occasion, the free-
men had taken an unusual route on leaving their tents, and
come by the upper road along the foot of the Hair hills
and Tongue river. During the time we watched the Sioux
this morning at sunrise, the freemen were marching down
Tongue river ; but fortunately for them, the land where the
track runs close to the wood is low, and between that and
where the enemy were is a ridge on which grow willows ;
this intercepted the view, and to this they owed their safety.
But we now supposed the enemy had fallen in with two
freemen who had left there yesterday about noon with a
cart, on their return to their tents at the foot of the Hair
hills ; as those just arrived had not met them, but observed
that the track of a cart had gone by the road along Red
river, where the two men must unavoidably have met with
the enemy yesterday afternoon. Of course we gave them
over for dead.

July 25th. Before daylight I set off with five Indians on
horseback to make discoveries on the Sioux tracks. We
found the spot where they had adjusted themselves in the

ON THE TRAIL OF THE SIOUX. 435

night to attack us. This was about i^i mile from the fort,
in full view of the blockhouse and stockades. They had
purposely struck out of their direct route, to place them-
selves in view of their intended place of attack. Here we
found upward of 100 pairs of old shoes, some scalps, rem-
nants of leather and buffalo-skins, saddle-cloths made of
buffalo robes, whips, pieces of old saddles, rolls of bark
containing war caps, bark and willow dishes ; also, paunches
and bladders of water for a journey. Upward of 100 wil-
lows, about six feet long, with a fork about the middle,
were stripped of their bark, and stuck in the ground. This,
I am told, is for the purpose of hanging up their war-caps
before attacking an enemy. We also observed some places
where they had seated themselves in the long grass by twos,
threes, and fours, to adjust their war-dresses. At every
seat we found a quantity of swan's down, colored with red
earth, under which we found from one to four small stones,
about the size of an tgg, also daubed over with red earth ;
and near by were stuck in the ground the same number of
willows, about two feet long, stripped of their bark, and
daubed with the same red earth. Such a place is called by
the Indians " the spot of the last sacrifice," as it is here
that they adjust themselves for the battle, and generally
make a sacrifice of different articles they have brought with
them for that purpose, to insure the protection of the
Supreme Being, or, as they term him, the Master of Life.

Having collected several articles we proceeded on the
road of the war-party, who, in coming down, had kept close
to the woods, following every bend and turn of the river
and frequently going down to the water's side. Their trail
was like a well-beaten buffalo-track in the long grass, and
we supposed the party had consisted of upward of 100 men,
though they had but few horses. From the different con-
struction of their shoes, we concluded they must have been
of three different tribes — Yankton, Gens des Feuilles, and
some other. We also picked up several pipe-stems and
some of their arrows, the feathers of which were of the

436 SUPPOSED SIOUX HAVE HATS ON.

turkey ; some of their whip-handles were made of hickory.
We kept on till I observed, as I thought, a flock of crows
jumping up and down in the edge of the wood on our left.
I pointed them out to an Indian, who told me they were not
crows, but Sioux. We also saw near the wood at the point
a band of horses, among which was a white one. We had
observed, on the morning when we saw the enemy from the
fort, that they had a large white horse. This tended to con-
firm my suspicion that they were the enemy ; and my In-
dians were positive about it. A short consultation was held,
and I advised, by all means, a retreat ; what else could six
men do? While we were still consulting one of the Indians
said that he had seen horsemen passing through the wood,
as if to cut off our retreat. No time was to be lost ; we
turned about. Then suddenly appeared in the plains to the
W. and N. W. of us a large party of horsemen, coming
directly on. This caused a halt, as we were surrounded, and
began to suspect that the enemy had planned to cut us off.
The Indians put on their war-caps, uttering some few words,
which I could not hear distinctly, and then began to whistle
with a small bone instrument, which they hang round their
neck for that purpose. The several parties in the plains to
the N. W. and W. assembled on a rising ground, where two
horsemen left the main body and rode toward us. We soon
saw they had hats on, and thus knew them to be white men ;
we rode up to them, and were agreeably surprised to find
them to be the two freemen who we had supposed were mur-
dered. They informed me that, on leaving the fort, they
had actually taken the road along the river, but had not
gone more than a mile when they changed their minds, and
struck away directly for their tents across the plains, W. S.
W., in hopes of seeing some buffalo. In this they were
disappointed, and having no provisions, they decamped, and
were then on their way to the point of Two Rivers, where
they intended to live on fish ; and the party we saw at a
distance were their families.

Having come within two miles of the fort. Little Shell

THE ADVENTURE ENDS IN SMOKE. 437

dispatched two of his younger brothers ahead, to return and
meet us with his pipe and stem of ceremony, and to relate
no news whatever, nor answer any questions. Having given
them sufficient time, we sent Little Shell ahead, requesting
him to relate no news until after the ceremony of smoking.
We soon perceived all the Indians coming from the fort at
full speed, with nothing on but their breech-clouts, shoes,
and weapons. Little Shell, who acted as commander-in-
chief, galloped on, myself next to him ; we passed the Indians
without saying a word, and on to the river-side, where we
found everybody alarmed. No one knew what was the
matter, but the mysterious proceedings of our two messen-
gers had caused them to suppose the enemy was at our
heels. We crossed Panbian river and dismounted ; the pipe
was lighted and passed around. Little Shell then related
our adventure, paying me the compliment that my keen
eyesight had saved them from the enemy.

This was about 2 p. m. During the remainder of the day
the Indians were forming a plan to pursue the Sioux by
night. About dark we perceived a party of men, women,
and children coming down to the E. side of Red river.
They proved to be a band of freemen, almost naked, who
left their old camp at the foot of the Hair hills yesterday,
and had come across the plains. About eleven o'clock this
morning they arrived at the point of Two Rivers, where
they fell upon a broad road and found several articles which
they knew to be Sioux property. This gave them a great
alarm ; and while they were still looking about, picking up
what they could find, they saw us coming. They instantly
ran along the woods, down the bank, and thence along the
shore, where they made a raft and crossed over, leaving their
carts and horses standing on the edge of the plain. Those
were the horses we had seen, one of which was white. Thus
all the day's adventures proved to be mutual false alarms.

This evening another freeman arrived from the salt lake
on Park river, bringing two cartloads of grease. This man
fell upon the war road at the Grand Point, S. of the Bois

438 WHOM AND WHAT THE SIOUX MISSED.

Perce, but never suspected it to be an enemy's track ; sup-
posing it had been made by a war-party of Saulteurs, he
went down to the river to water his horse. There he found
the Sioux camp, which they had not left more than three
hours before. Still suspecting no enemy, he came on to
Two Rivers about dusk, and perceived the freemen's carts
and horses upon the bank ; he supposed the men had gone
down to the river to drink, and thought it a favorable oppor-
tunity to pass them ; so he slipped by quietly, and remained
ignorant of the danger he had escaped until we informed him.

It is really astonishing what a narrow escape these freemen
had from this war-party. Furthermore, their track in com-
ing and going along Red river passed within nine miles of a
camp of freemen on Park river, where there were but three
men, with upward of 20 women and children, and 100 excel-
lent horses belonging to themselves and to those of my
people who had gone to Fort William. This would have
been a noble prize for them» well worth the trouble of com-
ing for.

July 26th. There was due the Indians a keg of liquor,
payable in the fall by a freeman ; but the fellow impru-
dently gave it to them this afternoon, which made them
more troublesome than I ever before knew them to be.
The freemen went for their carts to Two Rivers. I sent
T. Vaudrie and another man to Bas de la Riviere, with
letters. 28th. My hen hatched only 7 chickens out of
12 eggs. I now have a flock of 18, large and small. 2gth.
The freemen and Indians decamped for the mountain, to
hunt red deer and moose in the strong wood. This after-
noon 13 men arrived, five days from Red lake, with skins
and furs to trade for tobacco and ammunition. 31st.
Indians arrived from below, with skins for liquor.

Monday, Aug. ist. Indians left and others arrived.
Made up 30 bags of pemmican. Men hunting toward Park
river. 2d. Men all off with the Indians for their skins.
Our H. B. Co. neighbors dare not stir from their fort, they
are so much in dread of the Sioux. 3d, Once more clear

EXPRESS IN — DUNCAN M'GILLIVRAY DEAD. 439

of Indians and freemen, who are all gone toward the moun-
tain, in the strong wood. My people returned from the
Indian tents.

About sunset three young Indians arrived, ten days from
Lac la Pluie, via Reed lake. They had been obliged to
abandon their canoes soon after crossing Reed lake, and
thence had come on foot. They brought me a packet from
the mountain. Fort William, and Montreal. The principal
news was the death of our worthy friend, Duncan McGil-
livray, Esq.," which occurred last spring, in Montreal. But

* McGillivray or Macgillivray is a famous name in these annals, one of the
foremost among the many " Mac's " which attest the sturdy Scotch stock of the
N. W. Co. The name also appears as a rule in due form, and the several per-
sons who bore it are identifiable with less difficulty than usual. Duncan
McGillivray, above said, was a clerk N. W. Co., in 1797 or earlier ; sent that
year to upper Fort Augustus on the N. Saskatchewan. He was brought in to
Grand Portage on a litter, with his leg badly hurt, June 26th, 1798. We find
him at St. Joseph's isl.. May 29th, 1800, from Mackinac, en route west; he
went to the Rocky Mountain house on the N. Saskatchewan, made an explo-
ration thence to the N. branch of that river and return, in 1800, and accom-
panied David Thompson on his Bow River tour, Nov. I7th-Dec. 3d, 1800.
He left the N. W. country in 1802, became a partner of McTavish, Frobisher
& Co., and was one of the signers of the Montreal agreement of Nov. 5th, 1804.
—Archibald McGillivray left the Rainy River house of the N. W. Co., with
Harmon and others, July 26th, 1808.— John McGillivray was a clerk of the
N, W, Co. in the Muskrat River country in 1797 ; was on Rainy r. in July of
that year, and reached Grand Portage with Thompson July 22d. When met
by Thompson on Rainy r., July i6th, 1798, he had 13 packs, three of which
had been seized from Mr. William Linklater on account of matters connected
with the desertion of Fran9ois Loyola. In 1799 he was engaged on the lower
English r. He wintered at the N. W. Co. house on the E. end of Lesser Slave
]., 1803-04, and signed the Montreal agreement of Nov. 5th, 1804, by his
attorneys. He wintered 1808-09 at Fort Dunvegan on Peace r., which he left
May nth, 1809, for Fort William; and wintered again at Fort Dunvegan,
1812-13. Joseph McGillivray (look in Index) was at the Okanagan post
on the Columbia, April 23d, 1814. John McGillivray retired in 1818.— Of
Simon McGillivray my memoranda are lost or mislaid.— William McGillivray
was in charge of the N. W. Co. house at Lac des Serpents, English River
Dept., against Roderic McKenzie, in 1786-87. In 1790 he had become a part-
ner, and is named as one of the agents by Thompson at Grand Portage July
22d, 1797. He is found there again June 23d, 1798, and en route from Mon-
treal to the same place in May, 1800. He had wintered at least one year before
1804 at Reed 1., Missinipi waters. As already stated, p. 220, he is the person

440

HENRY RECEIVES MARCHING ORDERS.

the main motive of the express was to forward a statement
of the arrangement of the department by our council at
Fort William, wherein I was appointed to Lower Fort des
Prairies [meaning Fort Vermilion].

RETURNS FROM LOWER RED RIVER DEPARTMENT, 1807-O8.

Three Canoes.

6<)6 Beavers, weight 908 lbs

161 Black Bears

19 Brown Bears

1 Grizzly Bear

932 Martens

igS Minks

118 Otters

167 Shaved Parchments

55 Dressed Biches

46 Raccoons

1 1 8 Fishers

4 Loup-cerviers

3 Wolverenes

37 Foxes

68 Wolves

8 Buffalo Robes

60 Packs of 90 lbs. each

334 Bags of Pemmican, 90 lbs. each
46 Kegs of Grease of 70 " "

it tt *• 4t

2 90

L. Dorion,
Dead River.

85s
no
17
17
15
4
19

M. Langlois,

Delorme,

and Bellaire,

Hair Hills.

S3
34

Wm. Henry,
J. Stit,

Grandes
Fourches.

i<;o

15
14

103

A. Henry,
Wm. Henry,
Panbian

River.

339

6^
63
53
74
40
19
29

28
43

171

42 Kegs of Sugar brought from L. Lake |
6 " " made at Panbian River >

Gain £473 13*. od.

3,903 lbs. gross.
744 lbs. tare.

3,159 lbs. net.

for whom Fort William was named in 1807. He returned to Scotland before
the fusion of the N. W. Co. with the H. B. Co. in 1821, and died ca. 1825. —
Thompson speaks of "Mr. McGillivray and the two young McGillivrays" as
being all three at the Rainy River house, Aug. 2d, 1808. When Thompson
was in the Rocky mts., 1807 and later, and had discovered the sources of the
Columbia — though never yet sufficiently honored in that regard — he had of
course his own names for the many important rivers, lakes, and mountains,
which he saw first of white men. Among the streams was the Columbia itself,
at and above Canoe r. This he called Kootanae r., not knowing that it was
the Columbia ; and the parallel river flowing in the opposite direction, pres-
ent Kootenay r., he named McGillivray's r. I/fm, the place now called Canal
Flat (Grohman), where Kootenay r. comes so very close to the head of Upper
Columbia 1., he named McGillivray's portage. He set the portage at lat. 50°
08' 15" N., and put the mouth of the river 2}^ m. above lat. 49' 17' 12" N.
But more of this beyond, when we traverse the mountains with Henrj'.

PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE. 44 1

I forgot to mention the only accident that happened
from the attack of the Sioux. This was the loss of an
Indian dog, that received two balls through the head, on
the E. side of the river, just as he was jumping on board
the boat to cross the river with our Indians. One of the
balls, which we found in his head, was of their own make,
from lead procured on the Mississippi. On examining the
tents we found that two of them had been pierced in
several places, about two feet from the ground ; but as the
Indians were all lying asleep, they received no injury. I
examined our blockhouse and stockade, but could not find
the mark of a ball ; therefore I believe the Sioux aimed at
the tents, and not at the fort.

Aug. 4.th. Men all out for meat. I made up 30 bags of
pemmican. sth. Made up 12 packs of skins and furs.
6th. A canoe arrived from the hills. Took inventories,
and sent men to repair the boat. -jth. Started Langlois and
one man with a cart, along with the Cree, for their skins.*

LADINGS AT PANBIAN RIVER, JUNE 1ST, 1808.'

A Long Boat. — Angus McDonald ; Charles Larocque ;
Pierre Martin ; Jean Baptiste Lambert — 282 bags of pem-
mican ; I bag of potatoes ; 42 kegs of grease ; 2 kegs of

* There is no break in the MSS. at this point : but Henry now leaves Pem-
bina forever, and a new departure in his adventures begins, as soon as we have
done with the tabular matters which belong to his Red River operations of
1807-08. These tables are written in another place in my copy (folios 646-
659), but I bring them into their proper connection. They include some mete-
orological statistics, which I omit.

* See back, p. 430, this date, when the brigade was dispatched from Pem-
bina. The inventory is interesting, as showing the composition of the lading,
its distribution in the several boats, etc. The " pieces " are not specified.
The 50 " packs " are of skins and furs ; " W. W. 2 " is some mark upon them.
The table is also valuable for its list of the men, mostly with full names. Some
of these have been already noted as they came up successively in the course of
the narrative ; for the rest I have the following memoranda, including other
persons of the same surnames :

Charles Larocque, no further record : for other Larocques, see note ^^ p.
52, note ", p. 301.

442 MANNING AND LADING OF CANOES.

gum ; 224 pieces ; 2 pairs of cart-wheels ; i leather tent ; i
oilcloth tent ; icow; bark and vvattap [^toupe].

jl Boat. — Joseph Lambert ; Pierre Vandle ; Antoine La-
pointe— 5 kegs of grease ; 2 kegs of gum ; 107 pieces ; i bag
of potatoes ; i pair of cart-wheels ; i leather tent ; i oil-
cloth tent ; i cow.

A Lake Winipic Canoe. — Houle ; Charbonneau ; Fleury ;
Surprennant — 21 bags of pemmican ; i bag of potatoes; 3
kegs of grease ; 24 pieces ; i buffalo.

A Ca7ioe. — Andre Beauchemin ; Joseph Bourr^e — 20
packs, W. W. 2 ; 13 bags of pemmican ; i bag of potatoes ;
3 kegs of grease ; 36 pieces ; i buffalo.

Pierre Martin is listed as voyageur N. W. Co., Lower Red r., 1804. — One
Martin was with Roderic McKenzie on the new Kaministiquia route in Aug.,
1804.— One Martin of the N. W. Co. was with Thompson in the Rocky mts.,
winter of 1808-09. At date of May 30th, 1809, Thompson says, " Martin insQ-
solent ; dislocated my right thumb in thrashing him." The Martin who reap-
pears in Thompson's journal of June 22d, 181 1, at Ilthkoyape (Kettle) falls on
the Columbia, and went S. from the falls Aug. 29th, 1811, was probably the
same.— Fran9ois Martin is listed as voyageur N. W. Co., 1804, Rat r. — Fre-
deric Martin, ditto. Lake Winnipeg.— Jeremie Martin, ditto, Lower Red r.—
Michel Martin appeared as a witness in the Semple case at Toronto, Oct., 1818.

For the Lamberts, see note "*, p. 212.

"Vandle" I have not found elsewhere, and as it is no F. form, I suppose
error.- Antoine Vandal is listed as voyageur N. W. Co., 1804, Lake Winni-
peg.—Antoine Vandal again is ditto, Athabasca Dept.— Joseph Vandalle ap-
pears as voyageur N. W. Co., 1804, Lake Winnipeg.— No Pierre of any such
surname found elsewhere.

For Lapointes, see note *, p. 226.

One Houle was an old man in 1793.— Louis Houle or Houle of the N. W.
Co. left Fort Esperance, on the Assiniboine, Dec. loth, 1793, with a party
that went to the Mandans and back ; found on Assiniboine and Red rivers in
1794.— Louis Joseph Hool of the N. W. Co., who went with Thompson to the
Mandans, 1977-98, is probably the same.— Francois Capois Houle, //j, is listed
as voyageur contre-maitre N. W. Co., Fort Dauphin, 1804.

For the Charbonneaus, see note ^^ p. 50.

Fran9ois Fleury and Louis Fleury are both listed as voyageurs N. W. Co.,
Lake Winnipeg, 1804, and Henry's man is no doubt one of these two.

Surprennant : no other record noted.

For Beauchemin, see note", p. 51.

Joseph Bourree is listed as Joseph Bourret. voyageur N. W. Co., Lower Red
r., 1804.— Antoine Bourier, dit Lavigne, of the N. W. Co., left Fort Esperance

MANNING AND LADING OF CANOES. 443

A Canoe. — Angus Brisebois ; Jean Baptiste Larocque ;
Jean Baptiste Desmarais — 20 packs, W. W. 2 ; 9 taureaux ;
3 kegs of grease ; 2 bags of potatoes ; 32 packages, and
McD.'s baggage ; 2 bales of meat ; i buffalo.

A Canoe. — Louis Desmarais ; Joseph Plante ; Cyrile
Paradis ; Michel Damphousse — 10 packs, W. W. 2 ; 2 kegs
of grease ; 2 bags of potatoes ; 12 pieces, and my baggage ;
2 buffalo ; 4 bales of meat.

L. L. Canoe. — Charles Bottineau ; Jervis [Gervais] ; Assi-
niboines — 22 kegs of grease ; i bag of potatoes ; 10 bags
of potatoes, Bas de la Riviere ; 32 pieces ; i buffalo.

S. Canoe. — Antoine Larocque ; Bonhomme Montour —
10 kegs of grease ; i bag of potatoes ; i cow.

for the Mandans, Dec. loth, 1793. — One Bourie or Bourre went with Thomp-
son from Boggy Hall on the N. Saskatchewan into the Rocky mts. at Atha-
bascan headwaters in 18 10.

For Brisebois, see note *, p. 226.

For Desmarais, see note ^*, p. 51.

For Plante or Laplante, see note ®, p. 268.

Cyrile Paradis not noted elsewhere. — Cuthbert Paradis and Fran9ois Paradis
are both listed as voyageurs N. W. Co., Lake Winnipeg, 1804.

Damphousse : nothing like this name noted elsewhere ; and its peculiar form
suggests error of the copy.

For Bottineau, see note *, p. 226.

Jervis, Jarvis, Jarves, etc. , are frequent corruptions of the obvious Gervais,
and various persons of this surname appear in the annals. — One Gervais of the
N. W. Co. wintered at Pine fort on the Assiniboine, 1793-94. — Alexis Gervais
is listed as voyageur N. W. Co., Upper Red r., 1804. — Jean Baptiste Gervais
is thrice listed in identical terms as voyageur N. W. Co., Upper Red r.,
1804 ; this record may be of one or more persons. — One Gervais was on the
Willamette r. in Oregon, about 1838.

Bonhomme Montour I have noted elsewhere, but the surname has a long
record in the fur-trade. — Nicolas Montour was a member of the old N. W. Co.
on the coalition of 1787 ; was at Finlay's old fort in 1789, and about 1792
retired to Pointe du Lac, Trois Rivieres. — Another Nicolas Montour was an
engage of the N. W. Co. in 1799, Fort Dauphin Dept., wages 180 livres, G.
P. currency. — Nicolas Montour, clerk N. W. Co., was at Fort des Prairies in
1804 ; he is the " Mr." Montour who reached the Rocky Mountain house with
Bercier and a Kootenay Indian, Oct. 31st, 1806, went on another mountain
trip, returned Feb, 3d, 1807, was placed in charge of a post by David Thomp-
son in 1811, and fought a duel with F. B. Pillet in 1813 : see note ", p. 671 ;
note '8, p. 757 ; note '*, p. 788.

444 NINE months' rations, 1807-08.

Recapitulation :

325 Bags of Pemmican, go lbs. each.
48 Kegs of Grease, 70 lbs. each.
42 Kegs of Sugar.
50 Packs, W. W. 2, Nos. i to 50.

465 Pieces, exclusive of Baggage and Provisions.

Recapitulation of provisions destroyed [consumed] at Panbian River, Sept. ist,
1807, to June is/, 1808, by ly men, 10 women, 14 children, and 4^ dogs :

Pounds.

112 Cows, killed Sept. ist, 1807. to Feb. ist, 1808, . 45,ooo

35 Bulls, killed, 18,000

147 63,600

3 Red Deer, killed autumn of 1807, ... 905

5 Large Black Bears, killed winter 1807-08, . 460

153 64,965

4 Beavers.
3 Swans.
I White Crane.
12 Outardes.
36 Ducks.
1,150 Fish of different kinds,* taken in two short nets under the ice, Nov.
15th, 1807, to Apr. 1st, 1808.
775 Sturgeon, weighing from 50 to 150 lbs., caught Apr. 20th, to May

20th ; a great part of these were given to the Indians.
410 lbs. Grease.
140 lbs. Beat Meat.
325 Bushels of Potatoes, and an assortment of Kitchen Vegetables.

* Identification of Henry's Red R. fishes has not proved easy, and I think
that the only two species I have thus far named technically are the sturgeon
{Acipenser rubicundus), and catfish {Amiurus nebtdosus). But by patient ang-
ling I have caught several others, with the assistance of my friend, the learned
ichthyologist, Prof. Theodore Gill. i. The pike may be the fish properly so
called. Esox lucius, or Lucius lucius; if not that, then the common pike-perch,
Stizostedion canadense; I know that in the adjoining Mississippian waters the
pike is called pickerel, and the pike-perch is called pike. 2. The dore or dory
is the wall-eyed pike-perch, Stizostedion vitreum. 3. The lacaishe is the moon-
eyed toothed herring, Hyodon tergisus ; the name is found in Henry in many
spellings, which I have reduced to this one ; it occurs elsewhere in the quasi-
French form la quesche ; but all these are corruptions of the Indian name
nacaysh. 4. Piccanan, picconou, etc., are forms of the Cree name of a certain

COST OF THE NINE MONTHS' RATIONS.

Note ' of the cost of the foregoing provisions :

To royalty on 150 animals, @ 4s. i^d., .

To 550 lbs. beat meat and grease, valued at.

To 2 sturgeon nets, @ 28^-. 10^. ,

To 2 nets, 3^-inch mesh, @ 15^. o}^d..

To I bunch mortars [?], @ 5 J. sK''-.

To II cod-lines, @ 4s. 5>^(/.,

To 6 lbs. sturgeon twine, @ 2s. 2%d.,

445

Add 45 per cent. ,

To 25 lbs. shot, @ ^d.,
To 2 lbs. balls, @ td. ,

Add 260 per cent. ,

To 10 lbs. gunpowder, .
Add 90 per cent. , .

To yi, keg high wine,

Add 210 percent.,

[E. and O. E.]

oYz

9
13

\oyi

^Vz

I 16 10

4 19 "M

sucker, Catostomus lesueuri. 5. The "male achegan" of p. 41, where the
phrase seems to denote sex, should be read as one word, maleachegan being the
Cree malasheganeh, a sciasnoid fish, Haplodinotus grunniens, called in English
fresh-water drum or sheepshead, and thunder-pumper. Malasheganeh seems to
be a compounded word ; for the small-mouthed black-bass, Micropterus dolmieu,
was technically named Bodianus achigan by C. S. Rafinesque in 1817. 6.
Henry's " brim " is obviously one way of spelling bream, and the common
bream of his waters is Lepomis pallidus .

' It will be observed that hunters received a royalty on buffalo and deer
killed, not on bears and smaller animals. The percentage which appears to be
added in certain cases was the difference between the orig. cost of the articles
to the N. W. Co. and the price at which they were expected to be sold, and,
therefore, their value as estimated on the spot. It is enormous in the case of
shot and balls, doubtless having regard to the weightiness of lead in transpor-
tation ; next highest for alcohol ; then for gunpowder ; and lowest for netting
materials. The high wine item is for treating the hunters on certain occasions.

446 HOW BUFFALO ARE BUTCHERED.

A fat COW, killed in the autumn, weighs from 600 to 700
pounds. A lean cow seldom exceeds 300 pounds. I have
weighed 150 cows, killed from Sept. 1st to Feb. 1st, and
found they averaged 400 pounds each. Bulls in the same
space of time average 550 pounds. Two-year-old heifers,
in autumn, average 200 pounds. One-year-old calves, in
autumn, average i lO pounds. These weights are exclusive
of the offals. But the total eatable meat of one full-grown
bull, as received in the store-house, weighed 800 pounds.
One thigh alone weighed 85 pounds. This bull was in full
flesh, but had neither inside tallow nor back fat ; which
gives me reason to suppose that a full-grown bull, killed
fat, about July ist, would weigh about 1,800 pounds, offals
included.

Buffalo are cut up into the following 20 pieces by the
hunter : i grosse bosse [hump] ; i petite bosse ; 2 d^pouilles ;
2 shoulders ; 2 lourdes epaulettes [shoulder pieces] ; 2
fillets ; 2 thighs ; 2 sides ; i belly ; i heart ; i rump ; i
brisket ; i backbone ; i neck. The tongue generally belongs
to the hunter.

END OF PART I.

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Full text of "New light on the early history of the greater Northwest. The manuscript journals of Alexander Henry ... and of David Thompson ... 1799-1814. Exploration and adventure among the Indians on the Red, Saskatchewan, Missouri and Columbia rivers"

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